The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-10-11
FIRST PUBLIC
MEETING HELD
BY OPERATIVES
Large Gathering at Textile Hall
This Forenoon
ORGANIZER WHITE SPEAKS
Outlines Position of Striking Work
ers at Underwear Mill OF Black
Cat Textiles Company

Textile hall, at the corner of North
and River streets, was nearly filed by
an audience that gathered at $50 this
forenoon in response to the announce
ment that the members of Local 1875,
United Textile Workers of America.
would hold public meeting for the
purpose of setting forth the position
of the striking operatives of the
Black Cat Textiles company.
The Local president, Howard
Simpson, presided and in making the
announcement OF the purpose of the
meeting stated that the hour was an
inconvenient one for the business
men of the village and that for this
reason another meeting would be held
at s O'Clock Monday evening. The
Local, he stated, had now adopted the
policy Of holding public meetings in
order that the people of the village
might learn of the situation from the
operatives side of the controversy.
The time of the meeting was large
ly taken up with the speech of Joseph
r. White of Cohoes, district organizer
and member of the executive council
of the United Textile Workers of
Ameriea. Mr.. White stated that the
operatives of the Black Cat company
eight weeks ago asked for an eight
hour-work day and an increase of ten
per cent in wages. In making this
request, he stated that the opera
tives were not asking for something
that the company could not grant
In acceding to the demands the COM
pany would only be conforming to the
that prevail in the textile
industry in other parts Of the coup
try.
He criticised Manager Hansen OF
the Black Cat company for refusing
to meet with his own employees and
stated that the operatives had ex-
pressed a willingness to leave their
cause with the state board of concili-
alton and arbitration, something that
the manager of the company had de-
clined to do. If the company could
to the board, as it had
that it was unable to make
the increase of wages asked for, the
operatives would abide by the decis-
ion
The operatives, Mr.. White said, had
made every effort to reach an adjust
ment and had failed. He advised them
to go on picket duty Monday and con-
tinue the fight Anything that is
worth anything is worth fighting for.
At the same time he advised the
to go about the picketing
peacefully and lawfully.
The organizer told his audience
that Mr.. Hansen would find that he
was not bigger than the labor move
nent in this country. The organizer
said that he was to attend the big
in Baltimore and that he
would have money turned into Ben
1ington to beat the Black Cat manag
ar at his own game.
In whatever arrangement the oper-
ltors should make with the comapny,
Mr.. White said, they should insist
hat the leaders of the local be taken
back to work, that the so-called agi-
ators should not be excluded in the
agreement
The organizer is speaker with con
siderable force in his arguments. He
alks slowly and deliberately and he
vas frequently applauded.
Following the remarks of the or
,anizer the meeting was thrown open
md few of those present spoke
,riefly endorsing the stand taken by
he local and encouraging them to
ling together.