The sun., 1919-02-19
TEXTILE STRIKERS N
DEMANDS REFUSED
s<7y
Paterson Mill Owners Reply
Believed, However, to OFF,
fer Compromise. Sd
FOR BASIC 40 HOUR WEEK.
10000 Silk Operatives Return
to Work--12 I. w. w. Agi+a
tators Arrested. f3a

At a conference IN Paterson, ". ~
yesterday between the citizens comnitr I
tee which Is trying to adjust the differ
ences Between the 10000 striking
worsted and woolen mill employees apN
the manufacturers representatives OF tlgeF
latter made their fret answer to the Der
mands presented Ave days ago by ne
workers. Although In sense refusal
union leaders who have seen the MIL
owners proposals said last night thai
they believed the door had been iscAg
open for a compromise. Delegates from
the union will meet the citizens comm1nst
tee to-day in an endeavor to reach one,
At yesterdays conference the manssr
facturers said that while they rec0as1
n'zed the right OF the workers to or
ganize they strongly opposed the pr3n- ,
ciple Of closed shop and they Insisted !,
upon reserving the right to employ
whomever they wished. The strikers
demanded that no one save a member ~
the union be permitted to work In Tho
mills 'ctrf
The union demand for recognition OF
It's shop committees was met by the
statement that the mill owners stood
ready at any time. a. In the past, to
discuss grievances with committees %
their own employees They refused,
nected with any organization. 1dil
Jc,t
- Hour Week RefussA. III
A second refusal greeted the demand
for forty-four hour week and 35 peS
cent increase IN pay. Tho manufa6.
turers agreed to basic forty-eight hour
week with pay for that number of hours
at the same rate an hour. or a yard. 10
when the strike started February 8. ~
Julius Forstmann, spokesman for the
mill owners, said overtime would DO
credited to the workers at the close OF
each day and that all over eight and
half hours--the time necessary for
forty-eight hour week with a Saturday
half holiday-would be paid for at the
rate OF time and 4 half. This was prae.
tically the only concession as far as an
increased pay envelope was concerned.
Mr.. Forstmann said the reduction of
tho working week from flfty-four to
forty-eight hours would mean a loss Of
IL per cent in production and that the
Passa!c mills paid as high wages, and
in rome instances higher. as were paid
In New England. 1t was pointed out ny
the mill owners that whereas the Ma
tional Industrial Conference Board had
reported that the cost of living had.
shown an increase Of from Sc to 20 per
cent. from July. 1914, to November,
1918. wages paid IN the Passaic mills
during that time had gone up from So
to 100 per cent.
In Paterson $1,000 Of tho striking silk
workers returned to work. The l. w..
W. leaders were making desperate Of
forts to keep the remaining 1000 idle
but with scant prospect for success.
Twelve !. W. w. azita tors were arrested
yesterday. charged with dsorderly con-
duct in lettering about the mills. Chief
OF Police Tracey said the strike was
"officially over and that all loitersrs
would be arrested henceforth
Protest I'm MaAsnchusetts. 80
A committee representing the Law
renee. Mass textile strikers visited the
State House in Boston yesterday with a
letter to Gov. Coolidge protesting against
the denial of permits for parades and
outdoor meetings in Lawrence by tho
city authorities there and describing the
acts Of the mounted police as auto
cratic" The letter asked the Governor
to appoint an impartial committee to
investigate.
Gov. Coolidge sent word to the COM
mittee that he would send his reply ina
letter. The chairman declared he would
be satisfied with nothing except a pes-.
sonal interview. which. nevertheless. was
not granted. In his reply Gov. Coolidge
said the granting of permission to parade
was entirely In the hands of the local
authorities at Lawrence.
III the police have assaulted any per-
sons without warrant of law the matter
should be brought to the attention OF the
criminal court" he said. THE results
which you will secure from the great war
and from your residence in America will
be exactly what YOU desire to mako
them. 1t is my desire that each rest
dent OF Massa chusetts should have the
equal protection Of the laws and be sum
ported to the extent OF the power OF tMs
commonwealth in his right 10 pursue a
lawful occupation. trust that YOU will
cooperate with the duly constituted an
thorites OF the city. State and nation TO
this end"