The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-21
$4,000 READY FOR
PATERSON STRIKE
Another Tieup Of Mills
Threatened With Demand
for Shorter Day.
CITY FEARS NEW LOSSES

PATERSON, y. J., March 20.-The exec
utive board Of the brotherhood OF Amer
can silk Workers served notice to-day
on the silk ribbon manufacturers and
hatband manufacturers, employing about
5000 operatives. that they would he
given until Wednesday night to grant a
nine hour day. The employers were told
that failure to grant the demand would
result In a general, strike Of the $4,000
to 10000 workers in all branches Of the
silk industry in the city. Decision to
take this action was reached at the end
OF a two DAY secret conference. after the
demand Of the hatband wcavers for a
nine hour day was refused last week
by the manufacturers
The silk manufacturers became alarmed
to-day by the threat to tie IN the entire
industry i'm the way IL was tied up by
the ]. w. W. In 1918, but none would
discuss the demands. II is believed that
the manufacturer will hold a meeting
tomorrow night to take action. because
a strike at this time would mean "A loss
to them OF several hundred thousand
dollars every week. Because OF the Eu-
ropean war Paterson Is now enjoying the
greatest prosperity in its history. M
Of the sill, mills have orders that will
keep them busy many months. and sew
erai companies have completed plans for
additions to their plants costing over
81 .0UO.0 600.
Action Comes ~ surprise.
While II was known that there was
some dissatisfaction among the silk
workers. particularly the hatband HeaN'
ers. Of whom there are about 900. no
one believed that Paterson was on the
verge Of another great strike like that
of 1913 until announcement was made
to-day Of the decision Of the Brother
hood Of SILK Workers.
Louis Magnet. secretary of the Broth
erhood OF SILK Workers. said to-day that
the organization was determined t, hay"
Il nine hour dan. and that the WORKERS
will vote to s,rik. unless IL IN granted.
"Arbitrstion.' he said. will l." vel
c.tn.d to the very last. but II II fails q
strike viii follow. The calling OF a
strike. in my opinion. would he 3cspond"d
TO eu massc by the silk worker The!
are thoroughly dissatisfied with the ac-
ton OF tho manufacturers. who have
failed TO i've IN To their promises after
the last silk strike. for they promised
4 general Increase In wages and a
sho, ter workday.
Then again during the depression IN
the silk business "A year ago the mant-
facturers reduced wages aud AZ the
same time demanded An Increase in the
production of the workers. Now th'
workers want a shorter day and they arc
determined 10 get 1t
? \ mass meeting of tho hathand and
p ribbon w.avers will he held next Thurs.
! day to take action on the threatene,
strike should the manufacturers fail Il
T meet their demands before that time.
Would Mean Lose to Many.
: Action on the part Of the m~anufa
n turers is waited here with much in
terest because "A strike would he
serious blow to the city At a time whei
/ II IL enjoying the greatest prosperity u
its history. The 1918 strike caused
! loss NJ more than $4,000. GEO. II ruined
! many small storckeep.rs. seriously az
. fsrtcd the larger business honses. cause
u heavy loss to professional 'ncn AM
drove inauy thousands of persons out, -
the city. so that the population al l.i,
WAS considerably lower than II Was il
.ilelO. Every effort viii he made by cit,
. officials and others to prevent a strike.
"AssAIc. y. j, March 20.-The an
nouncement In Paterson to-day that q,
, silk workers OF that city had presente
(, a demand upon the manufacturers IA
: J., nine hour day. refusal Of which Woul
result in n general strike. raised III
9 hopes OF the striking WeaNers and spin
ners OF the Gera Mills. the Passal
v Worsted Spinning Company and Il,
g Forstmann & HUFFMAN company OF thI
y city, Clifton and Garfield.
REPRESENTATIVE OF the American Fec
GRAFTON Of Labor will come here q
II Wednesday night for the purpose OF o'
t ganizing all the weavers and spinners
the woollen. worstei and other text
e mills Of Pas-aic and vicinity. numherin
more than $4,000.
n Announcement was made on Saturda
tina; half Of the 500 striking Weavers
the forstminn a. huffman Compai
!. would return TO their work to-day. b'
-. none oil the men went back 10 the mi