The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-02
STRIKE SEEMS SURE
IN PATERSON MILLS
Textile Manufacturers Refuse
Is Hour Demands Of 2o,-
600 Operatives.
UNIONS WIN ELSEWHERE
Several New England Plants
and Those in COhoes and
Utica Capitulate.


settlement Of the demands OF $4,000 tex
tile workers in Paterson was farther
away than ever yesterday the union
achieved a series OF victories In New
England and In Central New York by
gaining concessions to the forty-eight
hour week. In other plants along the
Atlantic seaboard where more than
10000 workers are employed a strike
IL expected at the close Of work to-
morrow night.
Certain plants in Lawrence. Lowell
Easthampton and Boston. Mass. and
Utica and Cohoes y. Y. and Phila-
delphia capitulated yesterday. The
mills in these cities employ more than
$50 900 workers OF these 100000 are
said TO have won the forty-eisht hour
week
John Golden. president OF the United
Textile Workers OF America said that
he has wired all members of the union
to stand firmly for the forty-eight hour
week. He said there WAS good reason
to believe that other manufacturers
will meet the demand and accord the
Unions silent victory"
VIII Quit After Eight Hours.
This does not mean that the workers
| will not report on Monday" he said
| Our instructions are for them to return
| to work. but TO refuse to work more
than eight hours. IT will then be up &c
the manufacturers. II there is any at
tempt to take retaliatory measures a
ptrike certainly will be called The vic
tory won by the Lawrence operatives !:
| good sign"
Manufacturers operating scventy-hvs
| mills in Paterson refused fatly yester
day to accede to the workers demands
which are FOR forty-eeven hour week
| Louis Magnet. chairman OF the un!oi
| committee, at once announced strike al
| u 600 operatives effective tomorrow
| morning. Ten thousand other operative;
will report for work. but will quit after
| eight hours. Some small mills employ
ing in all 500 men have yielded TO thu
demand. fhe Paterson Chamber Of
! Commerce Is expected TO invite the Wal
Labor Board to come to the city a.
once.
In advertisements published yesterda!
the Paterson mill owners asserted tina
Al 900 looms out OF 10000 operated IL
the country are operating In the mills
OF that city. and that to shorten the
production in accord with the workers
demands viii reduce seriously the sup
ply of textiles Al present the mill:
are running on a nifty hour schedule
The suspicion gained ground in unioI
headquarters In Paterson. despite thu
anncunc .ment. that the manufacturer
are having a slack SEASON and woulo
| be willing to have the mills closed fo'
a short time. Ninety per cent. OF thu
Paterson silk mills will be affected h,
| Ill he IA
| plain that they do not wish to dea
| with the union committees on any ques
tion OF shorter hours.
View Of the Manufacturers.
| The view of tho situation held by th'
| manufacturers Was indicated last nigh
I by Charles Cheney, president OF the Sill
| Association Of America at the Hotel As
| tor. Mr.. Cheney said:
Asking for an attitude OF sympathy
and Justice does not mean that We have
| TO meet every successive demand tina
may he made for constantly increasing
compensations and still more burden
some requirements as to conditions snt
hours OF work. We have made Ions
steps aiorg this mad and do not resre
II. We may find it possible to 20 fur
Their when circumstances warrant. bu
| in justice to ourselves. to the industry
| and TO our workers we must use dis
erection and avoid reckless change.
| h!ch may involve the carrying OF heav
Ter burdens than can be borne.
with regret and deep disappont
m,nt we now are faced by demands fol
shortened working day, which spell'
increased cost OF production and les
sened output. Striving earnestly as w
do TO meet the unknown perplexitie,
| vhich confront u We canuot fail to lool
! upon the threat OF this additional bur
den with the gravest concern. We be
| lieve that the demands have sprunl
from an incomplete understanding o
| the industrial situation. and We hop,
| that the sober judgment OF the more Sc
rious minded workers will lead to a re
| consideration"
| The adjustment OF the threatened
strike upstate was reached larGel,
| through the efforts OF the New Yorl
State Reconstruction Commatee. repre-
sentatives OF which were in conferenc,
| during the day in Utica and Cohoes
| Mrs. Henry Moskowitz OF the, committe.
received reports assuring her that tn
| workers will report tomorrow.
There is no contention by the unto,
for an increase OF wages, according Il
Mr.. Golden. He said he was thorough,
satisfied IL the workers were paid a
the same hourly rate for the shorte
dav, and probably will com,uunicat,
| this decision TO the unions th,'oughou