The Connecticut labor press., 1920-07-10

The determination of the strikers is
beginning to have effect as was shown
this week by their being permitted to
hold meetings after having been pro-
hibited for weeks from doing so, and
these meetings were held without super
vision of the police as was insisted up
on heretofore. Also the manufacturers
began to give ground through the eff
forts of the c. F. of L. and its attor-
neys, and it is therefore believed that
following the show of determination
made at the meetings the way is open
Tor further negotiations that will lead
to settlement of the strike, through
wage advances.
The meetings were permitted after
Attorney c. ]. Danaher, representing
the Connecticut Federation of Labor,
had waited ON the various factory heads
and put it up to them plainly that there
would be nor could be no settlement
of the strike until they got down off
their high horses and at least agreed
to treat with the men through their
shop committees. The manufacturers,
heartily even If secretly sick of the.
whole business and assured that the
strikers were well able to carry on the
strike indefinitely, finally agreed to re-
mstate every man who went out, with
out discrimination, treat through shop
committees, not to object to organiza-
ton so long as it was NOT carried on
during working hours, and not to dis
cr1m1nate against any worker no mat
ter what part he had in the organiza-
ton of the strike
Shortly after committee consisting
of Ira M. Ornburn, secretary of the
{. F. of L.; John Uses, chairman of
the general strike committee of the New
England Workers; and Joseph Tone,
representing the Machinists, waited on
Police Superintendent Beach and again
made formal application for permission
tor the various groups of strikers to
hold meetings. 1t was agreed that the
meetings should be held separately by
each distinct organization, at hours so
they would not conflict or be possible
of interference one with the other and
finally Mr.. Beach gave his permission.
He also agreed to allow the meetings
to go on without police interference or
supervision, such as he insisted upon
last week
The application with the designation
of meeting time and places was made
in the following letter signed by the
committee and after some discussion
agreed to by Superintendent Beach:
1--WE, the undersigned committee of
the respective unions of the American
Federation of Labor, New England
Workers association and the Interna-
tional Association of Machinists now on
strike, request your permission to hold
meeting for the purpose of ba1loting
on the proposition submitted by the
employers. The meetings will be arr
ranged as follows:
New England Workers association:
Italian branch, Thursday, at a. m, in
Auditorium; Lithuanian, Thursday at
p. m. at 48 Green street; Russian
branch, Friday at 9 a. m, at 305 Bank
street.
"American Federation of Labor:
Italian local, Trades Council hall, at
10 a. m, Thursday; Polish local, Isl
Bank street, at l p. m, Thursday; Rus
sian local, 285 Bank street, at p. m,
Thursday; Machinists Union, Trades
Council hall, at 8 p. m, Friday"
Mr.. Danaher didn't ger what he
wanted from the manufacturers right
off the bat' by long shot. He has
had several and sundry protracted
meetings with them during the past
week and finally on Tuesday got them
to point where they realized that their
only hope IN getting the men back to
work was to give way from their
former back to the wall" attitude.
This was enhanced by the surprising
fact that on the morning when strike
benefits were to be paid, only 40 of
more than 1900 strikers entitled to
them showed up for the remittance.
The strikers are by no means broke"
and the manufacturers came to realize
that and that the mem could carry on
the fight if it took ali summer if neces-
sary. Meantime their plants were prac-
tically tied up, with orders piling up,
difficulties generally
and bright business prospects
ahead. So they came around.
Previous to the application for meet
ing permits, a conference, the first of
its kind, was held between leaders of
the A. F.sof L. and the New England
Workers. The result was a sort of
that in itself had a big
effect in bringing about the concessions
as it indicated that instead of going it
alone hereafter, the strikers were to
present united front. When the joint
committee appeared it got a very differ
ent reception from that other commit
tees have been accorded in the past.
While Mr.. Danaher succeeded in Sc
curing recognition of the right to or
(g-ont;p,,ed or, F;ohtl ,,aoaA