The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-02-22
DELEGATE OF
SHOP PLANS
TESTED HERE

| CBy Frederick n, KERRY. y. e \
Staff Correspondent
Paterson y. J., Feb. Something
entirely new in American labor and
| industry has appeared in Paterson
where 2s,ooo silkmiH workers are on
strike
It is a system of shop delegates
much like the shop-steward plan .ow
in effect among radical English work
men.
| Both the siIkmill owners and me
| old-line labor leaders a.e alarmed
| The majority of strikers are sala ID
| have repudiated the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. They Demand a a.
| hour week. Federation leaders had
| agreed to compromise on a 47-hour
week.
TWO Delegates From Each Shop Meet
The workers in each mill have met
and elected Two shop delegates These
delegates meet as a central commit
tee
I'VE call it the eight-hour work
day conference" said H. t. Ru6en-
stein, member Of the committee, in
the wings of the stage at 20 Ma Ike.
street where the shop delegates we're
in session.
l. =.
but our organization contains mem
bers Of 'Silkworkers' Union, No. Is.
OF the Workers International Indus
trial Union the Textile Workers IN
dustrial Union of the T. w w; So
cIalist Party; Socialist labor Party;
Workmen's Circle Sons Of Italy: Jaty-
ish National Workers Alliance Paols
Zion; an INDEPENDENT Worllmen's cir
Gle, and Jewish Socialist labor Fed
GRAFTON.
One A. :. [. Local Joins New Camp
And now local $50 Of the Jnttld
Textile ~ Workers. Of America. winch
Is in the A. +. T. has broken away
from the federation and Joined u.s.
The vast majority of the strikers
are not in any unions.
We have one demand only-tha a.
hour week. Up To two DAYS before
the date set for tho strike. the Al. II. T.
also demanded the 44-hour week: its
membership III their locals voted for
it. But their officials announced a
compromise on 47-hours
When we We're Hit locked ont, the
workers in each mill met and select
ed two shop delegates, who cam to-
gether in this central conferences"
For Two hours | listened to the now
conference in action. There s<era no
leaders" man and woman lad
been At work two days before The
chairman had never presided 1T a
meeting before. 4 dozen nationali+ias
were represented
IF the eight officers on the plat |
fort, two arc !. w W's. one balangs
to tile Workers International Union |
two are Socialist party members
They have sunk their differences, 70,
tile moment to get one thing-the IL
hour week, Nineteen mills had ,ani
tuiated on the second day of tie strike |
and granted the demand
Louis Naenat, leader Of the Pa+ar- |
son branch of the United Textile |
W ofkers the a r. +. organic ton, /
told me the real purpose of the etelt- !
hour workday conference is to HI
rapt tile \. y. l.. organization.
a. +. /. Leader BIanes The i. w. w /
u IS backed by the / w M he
SSsid We have ten locals here ,rf.h /
membership of $500 0nr locals dig +
vote for the 44-hour week. hat Al Il
meeting Of our textile council. tem /
posed of five delegates from each To- |
cal we voted last Friday night Is ac /
cept th" 47-hour wee;l instead. Nc /
lett public sentiment might not s+f,.,-
port The more extreme demand
-Nih'ft W9nan. secretary OF the en-
ployers association. said the e,an1a,-
ars are ready to submit Inc cnif,.
~ the war labor board with
olt reservation
Police Chief John Tracey has na9,
provision for possible disorder, b4- ;n
striking contrast t. the h7oody fes
ot 1918 Perfect order prevails
The Chamber Of Commerce u
Hoe