The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-09-18
Latest Proposals of Striking
Black Cat Workers
CONFER WITH TRUSTEES
Board Met Last Evening to Act On
company's Request for Police
Protection

or the village DOdru OF trustees called
for the purpose of ratifying the ac-
tion of the police committee in secur-
ing extra police during the emergency
created by the strike at the under
wear mill of the Black Cat Textiles
company. A letter from the company,
to Village President j. p Morrissey
asking for police protection at the mill
was read and the following resolution
was adopted:
Voted, That the action of the police
committee in the emergency of the
present strike in the village in secur-
ing extra police protection be and the
same is hereby ratified; and further,
Voted, That said committee be and
the same hereby is directed to take
all necessary action during said emer-
gency to secure proper police pro-
lection to all persons and property.
President Morrissey presided and
Trustees North, Bergeron, Warner,
Burt, Howard, Wills and Lighthall
were present. Clerk Hogan and Cor
poration Attorney Chase were also in
attendance
While the meeting was called for a
specified purpose arrangements had
been made to meet Vice-President ].
E. Hansen of the Black Cat company
and delegation of the operatives.
Mr.. Hansen first appeared before
the board and made a statement de-
scribing situation at the mill. The
official went into details, told how the
strike originated, what attempts had
been made in the direction of a settle
ment and stated the position of the
company. A few days after the
strike began he stated that he had
received notice that beginning August
26 the employees would thereafter
work no more than 4S hours a week.
Mr.. Hansen also described the stu
alton as regards wages, the depart
ments in which satisfactory adjust
ments had been made and those in
which demands were pending. Re-
garding the 4S-hour week he realized
that this schedule would prevail be-
fore long in all textile mills He had
made an offer of 4S-hour week to
begin at some date between January
and April 1. 1920. This proposal,
which included other features of ad-
justment, had been rejected by the
operatives.
Mr.. Hansen was questioned at some
length by Corporation Attorney Henry
Chase regarding wages, working con-
ditions and other features that might
have a bearing on the situation.
Following the conference with Mr.
Hansen a delegation of about twenty
operatives at the Black Cat mill came
before the board. Mr.. Chase stated
that the conference was to be held
for the purpose of assisting the opera
tives and the company in reaching =
settlement. The attorney wished it
to be understood that the board had
no authority in the matter and that
it could take no action; the confer
ence was merely an offer of assist
ance.
Harold Simpson, president of local
1896, United Textiles Workers of
America, spoke for the delegation He
laid before the board the proposal
from Mr.. Hansen which had been re-
jected and also a statement from the
local stating the position of its mem
bers at the present time. This state
ment called for an increase of ten per
cent in wages in all departments of
the mill in which satisfactory adjust
ments had not been reached and 4S
hour week. The 4S-hour week sche-
dule called for eight and three quar-
ter hours on five days and four and
one quarters hours on Saturdays. Mr..
Simpson stated the employees were
ready to return to work at once If the
10 per cent increase was granted and
an agreement made whereby the 49,
hour week should go into effect
seven weeks from last Monday. Mr..
Simpson thought that the adjustments
of wages proposed by the company
were satisfactory to about thirty-five
per cent of the employees.
Shortly before the Black Cat mill
closed down for the day Wednesday
afternoon, Chief of Police Hurley, Of
iicers Brazil and Griffin, two specials,
Sheriff Gardner and two deputies
gathered at the mill for the purpose
of preserving order in case there
should be trouble between the strik
ing operatives and the people who
are now employed at the mill. Both
sidewalks of Scott street were lined
with people, the crowd including a
large majority of the striking opera
tives. The crowd was orderly and
for the most part good-natured The
officers repeatedly instructed the peo
pie to keep moving and the instruc-
tions were readily and cheerfully
obeyed. The young women opera
tives tried out their voices as they
paraded but there was no bitterness
and many of them appeared TO regard
the affair as a lark.
When "Bennie" Waldron of the Ben
nington garage drove up in front Of
the mill with the autobus to be used
in transporting some of the workers
to Pownal he was given a jeering vel
come Some one in the crowd shout
ed GO dump em in the river, Ben
ME-. Everyone within hearing Joined