Evening journal., 1919-01-29
THREATEN TEXTILE
TIEUP over U. S.
Workers Ready to Quit Il
s Hour Demand is Not
Granted
FEBRUARY 3 is
DATE FIXED

NEW YORK, Jan. pa nationwide
tieup is threatened in the textile indus
try unless silk, cotton and woollen man.
ufacturers grant their workers an eight
hour day by February 5. John Golden.
president Of the Textile Workers Of
America, announced that members Of
the organization would work eight
hours on that date and then stop and
would insist that the eight hour sched-
ule be followed thereafter. He said
.@however, that the orders issued 10 the
Z. members Of the union did not "consti-
tute strike"
:, After MFR. Golden's statement had been
made public. Governor Smith instructed
members Of his newly appointed State
Reconstruction Commission. created to
deal with industrial problems and emer-
sencies resulting from conditions
brought about by the termination OF
the war. to make every effort to avert
trouble IN New York State, since 10000
men and women are employed in tex
tile plants in cities along the Mohawk
Valley
Following the receipt OF Governor
Smiths message the commission an
nounced that its committee on uncm-
ployment. Of which John G. Agar is
chairman. and the committee on indus
trial problems, headed by R. Everit
Macy, would met IN Albany Thursday
In an effort 10 iron out the situation.
The inquiry will be conducted by
Abram !. Elkus, chairman OF the COM
mission, and II necessary there will be
hearings In other parts Of the State as
we'll.
A demand for a forty-eight hour week
was made by the textile workers at
their convention here last November.
No reduction from the '1fty-four hour
schedule In the North and from nifty
eight to sixty hours in the South has
been made yet. however. and Mr.. Col
den said yesterday that employers had
made no advance toward a compromise.
The employees were willing 10 continue
on that schedule as long as the fac
tories were engaged only on govern
ment war contracts, Mr.. Golden declar-
ed. He said the industries had since
adjusted their business TO flll domestic
contracts and the workers were no
longer satisfied. Wage demands are not
involved. save that the same pay Is de-
manded for the shorter week.
The receipt In Paterson, N. j., yester-
day Of 1000 circular letters signed by
Golden. demanding the forty-eight hour
week in behalf Of the $4,000 operatives
IN the silk mills there, raised a furore
among members OF the union. Demands
have already been submitted for a for
ty-four hour week. 10 include a half
holiday Saturday. At a conference held
betweer representatives OF the manu-
facturers and the union a week ago no
agreement was reached. The employ
ers declared Il would be impossible 10
compete with plants in the South and in
New England If forty-four hour week
were adopted.
Opinion was sharply divided among
the workers last night as TO whether
the forty-four hour week still would be |
insisted upon. Louis Magnat, chairman |
Of the eight hour day committee. said /
the constitution Of the union gave the
right to local workers 10 determine /
local conditions and that there would
be no change in the demands already
made. Other union leaders expressed
the belief that the Paterson operators
would agree 10 the forty-eight hour
week in uniformity with the rest Of the
country.