The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-10
100000 TEXTILE
WORKERS FACING
WAGE REDUCTION
Manufacturers Forecast a
% 1-2 Per Cent. Cut to Sta
bilize Market.
TO HALT STAGNATION
Return to Wage Scale of
November 1919, More Than
Double 1910 Scale.
LOWER LIVING COST SEEN
Mills of Lawrence and Fall
River, Mass, Not Affected
by Announcement.
70 HALT STAGNATION
LOWER LIVING COST SEEN

sp.oial Deepctch to THE New YORK HERALD
BosToN. Dec. 9.--Announcement to-
day by the textile manufacturers that
there would be a cut in wages of 20 y
per cent in the textile mills of New
York and New England In order tc
bring production costs down to where
the manufactured products could fine
n market while affecting 100000 mil
workers, carried no terrors to the en-
ployees of the American Woolen Com
pany at Lawrence or the employees OF
the cotton mills In Fall River.
The employees of the American
Woolen Cor pany have the assurance
of the president, William M. Wood
made only this last summer, that their
wages would not be reduced. That
was backed up in a statement author
ICED by Mr.. Wood to-day. to the effect
that his company had not considered
cutting wages.
Six Months Agreement.
As TO the Fall River situation, the
cotton mill employees there have an
agreement with the manufacturers. en-
tered into early last month, whereby
the rate Of wages then existing was to
continue for six months from December
g.. 1920. That agreement carries the
stipulation that no change would be
made In its terms by the Cotton Manu-
facturers Association without first call
f,,.. int fha
nittee of the Fall River Textile Coun-
ell, the unions representative body.
The present wage Is 5S.19 cents for
weaving n "cut" 47Ia yards 2s inches
wide, Ga by 6A. OF regular print cloth.
The wage was lowest. under the present
adjustment plan, during the periods
starting in November, 1910. and Noven-
ber. 1911. when the rate was 1856 cents.
The proposed reduction of 22Ia per
cent. would mean fixing the wage at
4j.10 cents, or .12 of cent higher
than 1t was as actually in effect under
The agreement of June. 1919, for the en-
suing six months period.
There was very brief time between
periods when the forty-eight hour law
went into effect. when the actual earn
inzs were reduced on the weekly basis
because OF the shortened time. but this
was taken care of by the next increase
per piece. There was no reduction in
he wage, nor has there been any since
November. 1910.
The Fall River Textile Council is af-
nliated with the American Federation
Of Textile Operatives. Some of tho
younger Fall River unions are affiliated
with the United Textile Workers of
hmerica, John Golden, president.
Statement Of Manufacturer.
Regarding the cut. the following
Today Of the textile manufacturers:
1T is evident from what has trans
pired In the last few months that there
nas been an insistent and compelling
lennand on the part of the public that
she cost of living should be lessened by
readtustment of the prices OF com
rnodities entering into the expense of
daily life. This demand has been and Ia
countrywide. and II becomes the duty
OF all those interested In industries
which affect Immediately the cost Of
living TO give serious confederation to
this subject
Manufacturers have been reluctant
10 make any radical changes in wages
because Of It's effect Mt time when
there has seemed to be 30 little willing
ness on the part OF the retailer 10 do
ousinees on lower basis OF price. But
conditions have recently come about
where this situation has been materially
affected and prices Of articles entering
into the cost OF living have been reduced
10 considerable extent. Now that the
DroceBs OF read1ustnent has operated
in the wage earner's favor and living
costs are still further TO be lessened. es
the present low prices Of raw matsriale
are reflected In retail costs, the manu-
tacturcr can properly take some action
10 lessen the labor cost involved In pro-
duction.
Stagnatton of Markets.
The refusal OF buyers to purchase
Goods for the past four or five months
on q high basis OF cost has led 10 a
staenation OF the markets upon which
,he manufacturers depend, 20 that al
the present time many OF the textile
Mills In New England have been obliRed
10 shut down. Many more are working
on short time, and unless something IS
done TO remedy these conditions unenn-
Dioymcnt will be Increased and con-
tinus.
Therefore Il becomes the duty OF
manufacturers 70 consider some means
Of providing for a etabilisation OF prices
so that merchants may be put In po-
ttion to order goods without fear Of
further declines.
IT In obvious that no one will buy the
product OF the mills until the various
factors, including labor. entering into
the cost or production have been re-
duced TO point which represents TO the
purchasers OF the mills product safe
basis for doing business.
In order to stabilize conditions so
that goods can be purchased and busi-
ness be done II is indispensably neces-
sary, unfortunate though IL may be.
that there should be some wage reduc-
ton The textile manufa cturers have
ziven careful consideration to every
phase OF the situation and have taken
INTO account all possible methods OF
bringing about conditions whereby their
Corftrucd on Tenth pCoc