New Britain herald., 1916-02-19
GROHOL PREDICTS ANSONIA STRIKE WILL END AFTER MEETING THIS AFTERNOON Youthful Peacemaker Declares Trouble Will Be Settled Without Any Clash---
 ''Have Peace at Any Cost" NEW DEMAND PRESENTED FOR WAGE
 ALLOWANCE FOR SATURDAY FORENOON

Actual Number of Strikers Abou
 2,00o and Additional 2,5OO Men Ar
 in Enforced IdIeness-Guards Post
 cd in Mills of Brass Go, Taken Of
 Duty in Daytime-NIayor Satisfied
 With Conditions
 Ansonia, Feb. 19.-''The strike il Ansonia will be settled without an! 'clash,' said Joseph Grohol, the young man who has secured through his tact almost complete control over ths two thousand or more striking labor CTS of the American Brass Co.,, after a big strikers meeting, today. 'We will have peace at any cost" he add cd, and then he stated that he had found by getting the committees of the several nationalists together that the strikers have found out that they had made a mistake, that they are willing to be fair and that the off, cials of the company on the other hand are willing to discuss the situa- tion. Groho1 felt confident that the strike will end this afternoon after the conference between a sub-com- mittee of the strikers general commit tee and the company's officers.
 Explains Cause of Strike.
 MT. Grohol wanted the point en- phasized that the actual number of
 
 that the additional 2,500 employees who are out are in enforced id1eness. The fact that these latter did not re- sist the rush of the strikers saved the situation. Groho1 also explained just what brought on the strike. It arose from misunderstanding over an in crease in pay promised the 1aborers by the company last Novemb Der.
 According to Grohol the company gave their laborers an advance of 2k cents an hour under an agreement en- tered in November with the addition al promise of an additional 2k cents effective Feb. IA. When the laborers got their pay envelopes Tuesday and Wednesday they did not find in them the advance promised, which addi- tional wage would have been in the
 
 Week Tuesday and Wednesday, This accounts for the unanimity of feeling on the part of the men for a strike The action was started without any one having stopped to make an in quiry about the advance and practi- cally every one of the two thousand laborers thought he had a personal grievance. It was not until today's meeting of the strikers that the con- qitiOns were understan3ingly explain ed to the men. Grohol was in con- trOl of this meeting which was held in Sarsfield Hall, the place loaned to the strikers by Grohol as the property Is a part of his fathers estate. The meeting began early in the forenoon and lasted until nearly noon. There were from 800 to 900 present as a gen. eral estimate. Before it started half a dozen men who appeared to be agi- rators began to harangue the crowd but Groho1 pushed his way to the front and ordered them to stop sayin g that he was not going to stand for any violence or any plea for strife. He demanded that these speakers stop and asked the crowd to uphold him |. The men stopped talking when the arowd shouted to the effect that they would be thrown out of the hall. Grchol advised no drastic action as he thought that the men, if they were also strikers, had a right to stay but they also had to keep quiet unless they were on the general committee. Gro ho1 suggested that the only speakers at the meeting be mem bers of the general committee. This plan was followed, and the details of con- i. ference were left with a sub-commit- tee of eight. each member speaking 8 different language.
 Guards Taken Of.
 The guards which have been posted In the mills of the company have been taken off and will be on duty only at night. The situation has improved pso much that the company's officials felt Justified, they said, in letting the property remain just as on holiday.
 Mayor Schumacher also expressed himself satisfied with conditions feel Ing that it was better to have peace officers here to handle the crowd, if necessary, than to bring in national guardsmen.
 GroIlOI An Actor.
 : Grohol is 2G years of age and an nctor. He came from Pittsfield,, Mass, to look after the estate of his father who had just died. He was brought up in Ansonia and acquired Knowledge of several languages. He never worked in the mills but knew personally scores of men who are now . von strike. After leaving the Ansonia 4High school he went to Phillips Exeter 
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