Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-05-02
MILLION 4.
ON A STRIKE
Labor Day Marked by Ire
mendous Walk kouts in
the Country
100000 IN "A PARADE
Strike of Marine Engineers Ties Up
Shipping and Delays Shipments of
Munitions.

New York, May 2-The creates
strike of laboring men in the his
tory of the United States was inaugp
rated yesterday morning, when ap
proximately 100000 union workmeI
throughout the country quit work fol
higher wages, better working condi
tions and recognition of their union
or were locked out by employers.
May day parades were also gener.
ally held in the various cities of the
United States. In New York city
labor leaders made it the greatest
parade on record. 1t is estimated that
100000 workers marched in the parade
up Fifth avenue.
Red roses as badge to designate
both marchers and their sympathizers
of the "side lines" were much in evi-
dence.
Large placards and signs were scat.
tered throughout the procession. The
signs were printed in three languages
English, Yiddish and Italian, on oil
cloth measuring about three by four
feet. Some of these read:
"The bosses don't want us to be
human. They want US to be angels.
Angels don't eat"
"The bosses promise individual
agreements to individual workers,
but not one agreement to all work
crs. There's reason"
owe demand justice for the pcrse.
cuted peoples of the world"
Three anarchists were arrested dur
ing demonstration at Columbia
Park. They were charged with dis.
tributing circulars attacking the Gov
ernmcnt. There was also some dis
order when the police took red flag
away from color bearer who attempt.
ed to bear it aloft through the street.
While these demonstrations were
being made it was estimated by union
labor delegates that more than 49,
900 workers involved in strikes
throughout the city in various trades
and at least $4,000 more would be
idle within a day or two unless their
demands were conceded.
The strike of marine engineers pre-
cipitated the most serious tie-up of
harbor shipping that has menaced the
city in years. When the 1000 engin-
eers refused to man the TOO tug;
alongside the river, shipping men ad-
mitted they faced grave situation.
The entire munitions trade was tied
up and it was predicted that the trans,
Atlantic service would be handicapped
as liners could not get tugs to take
them to their docks.
Later in the day 1000 warehouse
men employed by the New York Dock
Company, in Brooklyn, quit work.
There are $4,000 workers out ir
Pittsburgh, including 10000 workers
at the Westinghouse Electric and
Manufacturing Company's plant, s.,
900 at the Westinghouse Machine
Company, 5000 at the Pittsburgh
Meter Company and the Union Switch
and Signal Company and 3,1OO troll
ley employees. 1t is feared this strike
will spread to machine shops through
out the Middle West.
Boston has a combination marin'
engineers, 'longshoremen and ware
housemen's strike TO contend with
| Estimates of the number either strik
ing or thrown out of work approx
innate 100000 men and women.
Wilmington, Del, May 2-The' in
auguration yesterday by the Build
ing Trades Council of the "Close'
shop" principle was marked by tw,
strikes, electricians employed by tn
Garrett-Miller Company and tn
Truax Electric Companyagoing out
Pittsburgh, Nal 2-Angered be
cause workmen refused to join thel
ranks, 5000 striking employees Of
the Westinghouse plants forcibly en-
tered the mills of-four big steel com
panies in Rankin and oBraddock yes
terday, attacked employees and caus
ed property damage amounting .t
several hundred dollars -.
! One rioter was arrested but hur