Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-04
TEXTILE FACTORS
DEFINE ATTITUDE
Strikers Will Submit to
Arbitration by Labor
Board
EMPLOYERS SAY mo"
Rather Have Union Head Set.
tie Dispute, Asserts C. STAN
ley Hurlbnt
EMPLOYERS SAY mo"


this editorial on Monday, March 81:
SETTLE THE TEXTILE STRIKE!
Any one who looks twice at the tex
tile strike in Eenslngton must realize
that it has grown TO be greVious
labor disturbance As it stands 1t sug-
gests that human reason is futile, that
we in this city are not observing right
Ideas of industrial co-operatian and
that, while force and attrition have
been utterly discredited everywhere
else in the world as means to ra-
tional end. force and attrition still are
to prevail lin labor disputes in
America.
Immea surable hardship and endless
loss have resulted so far from the
deadlock created between the mill own
ers and their employees. Each side is
being accused by the other of being
stiff-necked, irreconcilable and unfair.
The faith of many thousands of peo-
pie in our native ability to live and
work in amity and good will is being
shaken and destroyed and there is
sense of bitterness and despair not only
among those who are participants in
the dispute, but among many who are
merely thoughtful observers of the sit
uatior.
The strike has gone too far.
Those who may be responsible for
It, whether on one side or the other
or on both sides, are doing a great
deal of harm beyond the circle of their
own interests The agencies of media
ton provided by the Federal Govern
ment have been disregarded The
trouble, whatever it actually is, should
be brought out into the light and
discussed and adjusted without any
further delay in the interest of the
community, the workers and the busi-
ness men themselves, and above all,
FIR the good name of this great in
duStrial city
Asked TO Arbitrate
Following the appearance of this ed-
tor;aI the EVENING PUBLIC LEDGER
asked Frank McKosky, vice president
of the United Textile Workers of
America, representng the strikers, and
G, Stanley Hurlbut, president of the Men
and Managements' Textile Council. rep
resenting the employers. the. following
question:
will your organization, in the in
terest of the public welfare, submit the
questions at issue in the textile strike to
the arbitration of the war labor board
other mutually satisfactory body?"
Mr. McKoslSy answered as follows:
1--WE have been willing to accept arbi-
tration from before the time the trouble
started. We have been willing to accept
a. at any time since then. We are will
ing to accept 1t now.
"Before the full-fashioned hosiery
workers went on strike in January they
offered to arbitrate their difficulties with
the manufacturers association. That
offer was refused.
Before the eight-hour day was en-
forced by the textile workers M early
February, Judge j. Willis Martin ap'
pointed a citizens committee with sucI
men as Archbishop Dougherty and Bish-
op Rhinelander among its members and
George Wharton Pepper as its chairman
to try to prevent labor trouble.
This committee, after investigating
recommended that the textile manufac'
turers establish an eight-hour day tenn
porarily and that the workers continue
at their jobs, both sides meanwhile lay
ing the matter before the war labor
board.
"The textile workers were perfectly
willing that this should be done. The
employers refused to agree.
"No." Reply Employers
I'VE are willing now to go before the
war labor board and abide by their de-
cision. Or we would let the matter be
arbitrated by board to be composed OF
members chosen by the employers and
ourselves, with an odd member to be
selected by these two"
I The same question that had been asked
Mr.. Mckosky, representing the strikers
was asked Mr.. Hurlbut, representing the
employers.
Mr.. Hurlbut answered:
mo, we would not put our case before
the war labor board. I would as soon
let it be settled by the head of the
union.''
by Mr.. Golden, president of the
United Textile Workers." Mr.. Hurlbut
was asked.
yes, by Mr.. Golden. I think we
would get a more satisfactory verdict
than we would get from the war labor
board
Mr. IIurlbut continued, in explanation
of this refusal: II feel this matter is
just On the verge of settlement. EN-
ployers and employees in the full-fash-
ioned hosiery trade have met and talked
things over. There will be further meet
ings We have worked hard to get both
sides together. The Men and Manage
ments' Textile Council Is anxious to get
all labor disputes adjusted"
Mr.. Hurlbut explained that at the first
between employers and employees
held Wednesday afternoon, the employ
ers had proposed certain things that
met with the approval Of the representa-
tives of the mill workers present; that
the feeling between the mill owners and
the mill hands had been greatly i'm
proved by the discussion which tool,
place on Wednesday. and that things
had reached a point where settlement of
the trouble was matter of hours. A
second meeting arranged for yesterday
afternoon was expected by Mr.. Hurl-
but to bring both factions together in a
peace agreement.
Mr.. McKosky in his turn had some-