The sun., 1919-03-28
new |. W. W. STRIKE
AT PASSAIC MILLS
Twelve Thousand of Workers
Quit Suddenly and Owners
Shut Plants.
MILITIA MAY BE CALLED
Concilihtor Calls Situation
Hopeless-Riots Expected
on April 1.

The Passaic textile strike was renewed
at 10 o'clock yesterday morning in I'VE
big woollen mills. with the result that
before IL o'clock $4,000 workers were
again out on the streets and the situa-
ton has become more serious than at
any time during the last eight weeks.
Charles J. Fury. the second Federal con-
ciiiator, declared he could do nothing
more and left Il to the police.
at Is impossible to deal with people of
this kind" he said. THE agreement
made on Monday has been voided with
out notice and my usefulness Is 40
parently at an end. From now on II e
strikers will have to go IL alone. II Is I
matter for City Commissioner Kehoe
and the police"
Tho Industrial Council of Passaic
Wool Manufacturers. comprising the
owners OF the FIVE largest mills. called a
hurried meeting shortly after noon and
discharged every one Of the 10000. No
tees were posted on the plant doors that
the mills would remain closed until April
l. when they would be reopened with an
entirely new force Of workers. This
means a severe loss TO many of the older
employeeA in seniority and bonuses.
which In some cases amounted to $1,000
at the Christmas distribution.
Commissioner Kehoe was considering
whether to ask for the State militia last
night. He attributes the sudden reversal
of tho strikers to the influence Of $50
Bolshevists and 1. w. w. agitators who
are known to be operating In the city.
but against whom so far the police have
been unable to obtain evidence. When
-, - raI IL "
pected.
The arrest Of Alexander Burlar, alias
Kikonn. an avowed Bolshevist. 81. who
fed from Russia four years ago to es-
cape the war and has since been in Can
ada and the middle West, gave ground
to the police theory of the presence Of
professional disturbers. Buriar was SEN
fenced to three MONTH in jail. He was
pulled from a soap box while urging
strikers to revolt.
Matthias Pluhar, head OF the workers
independent union. endeavored TO resign
when the workers served notice upon
him that they would renew the strike.
Most OF the other officers also tried to
get out.
The action Of the strikers was a great
surprise TO the manufacturers. 1t fol-
lowed a series OF midnight meetings held
throughout the city, some Of which
lasted until A. NJ. The decision was
reached to demand the full recognition
OF the new urfon ard the closed shop
principle. which the manufacturers
steadfastly have opposed. At Z o'clock
the workers OF yvo mills, the Botany
and the Forstmann n Thurman. reported
for work. but did not start their ma
chimes Workers at the Gera, Garfield
and New Jersey Spinning Company mills
stood stolidly outside the plant doors.
sending their committees inside to pre-
sent the new demands.
At 10 o'clock. as prearranged. the new
strike was called. The workers gathered
outside the buildings, formed parade
and marched to union headquarters,
where they spent the rest OF the day
denouncinS the manufacturers.
In the agreement made Monday the
manufs cturers accepted forty-eight
hour schedule. with pay on the basis OF
the old flfty-fve hour week, with dou-
bic pay for overtime, which was the
original demand when the strike first
started. II now appears that the work.
ers have lost the entire fight by reason
OF the blacklist posted on the mill doors.