The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-26
SAYS STAR SHIRT STRIKERS WROUGHT
 MUCH HARM HERE
Old Operative of Plant Cannot Reconcile Herself to
 Strikers Views.
Editor Evening Farmer.

| some comments on an article that ap- peared in yesterdays issue of The Farmer. I refer to the article the Star Shirt Co.
 Has it ever occurred to you that the Star Shirt Co. is the victim of hostile press and of unions?
 When they, the Shirt Co., were in the throes of labor troubles last sum mer, you, a representative of tn hos tile press, like the cheap comedian who plays to the galleries, printed only the strikers stories. You did not take the trouble to get both sides of the story. You made no effort to find out that conditions at the Shirt Co.'s plant were ideal and that no one saw the necessity of organizing until labor agitator came to Bridge port, and she, aided by a Russian Jewess with anarchistic tendencies, who had come from Patterson less than a year before and who chafed under the peaceful conditions exist trouble. Everyone was stEAking. It was in the air. It mattered not whether the grievances were real or imaginary. There must be strike. Those who had not yet reached a state of efficiency in their particular line of work wanted as much money as those who had. True, thread had  but not until long after wholesale robbery made charging an absolute necessity. zie
 You may not know. but I will tell you that when the strike was con templated, a paper was drawn up on which were all the complaints. It was presented to the superintendent and every demand with the exception, of two or three unimportant ones, were granted by him. The exceptions were promised early consideration. What! No strike ?'' thought the strikers we must make greater de- mands,', we must be in the swim we must stand in with this great agitator," we must strike.s' Strike they did, about 5. per cent. of them. Not the bone and sinew of the work CTS, but the habby flesh.
 You did not take the trouble to find that out, did you? Yet you won- der why you can get no information about the prospects of the company
 You, who 1aud the success of
 ,nism that compelled that com / pany to temporarily accede to the preposterous demands of the strikers because the orders taken by their representative had to be filled, should dep1ore the fact that your hostile press and unionism has driven an old established company to- another city.
 
 ton the strike was not a summer long siege. It was near the middle of August before a strike was thought Of
 Tn that factory were upwards of 50 women whose ages range from 50 to 70 years of age. Some spinsters. some widows, some have worked there continuously for 50 years; others have married, reared children, became. widowed and gone back to work there. Those 50 are representa- tives of some of the best people in this city. Some are American, others of German, Irish and English ex- traction. Most of them have never worked at anything but shirt making f1cient. To them, without a doubt, is due the credit of the high standard of the Star Shirt.''
 The removal Of the works leaves these women stranded. Yet you say the strike was a success.
 If an institution which harbored independent but aged women was completely destroyed by fire, and 50 women were made homeless, big head lines would appear on the front page of your paper telling of the calamity, yet just such 8 calamity has happen end and you are partly responsible.
 You know. that when a woman has
 
 cumstances compelled her to go out in all kinds of weather Tor perhaps more than 30 years, and when un- selfshness impel1ed her to shoulder, not only her own. but others re- responsibilities, and time has dealt not too lenientIy with her, wrinkling her face and frosting her hair, her chances for other employment are very slim. Yet you say the strike was a success.
 What would be your arraignment if David Burlock or George Perkins should arise from the dead?
 An institution that pays taxes on more than a half million dollars, driven from this city by unionism and a hostile press. Yet the strike was a success.
 Do you know, and if you don't you can easily find out. that girls in the Star Shirt Go. who had become proficient in their line of work could make $15 a week before the strike? Not one or two but many of them.
 Far be it from me to fay unionism in it's primary sense, but the unionism that takes everything within sight and gives little or nothing in return, is not for me and some day there will be a reck konfng and the weed that are choking the lawn will be pulled out and destroyed.
 Doubtless this letter will be con- signed to the waste basket. You would be afraid to print it as it would displease your union readers, who know that it contains nothing but truth. But the fact remains: the strike at the Star Shirt Go. last sum mer one of the most disgra cefuI on record, was a success, only insofar as it forced an old, established com pany to seek another city in which to locate, and a, great many perfectly reliable and trustworthy women will be deprived of the means of liveli hood. Yours for
 FAIR PLAY.
 Bridgeport, May "A, 1916.