Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1920-05-07

When twenty-five weavers of the
Manhasset Company, now on strike,
appeared before the directors of the
Chamber of Commerce, Monday eve
ming, they charged that they had not
received square deal at the hands of
the local press, the captain of police,
and some of the merchants and the
public in general.
The strikers asked to meet the
Chamber of Commerce directors and
their request was granted. The meet
ing was called to order by President
Charles E. Dean. Other members
present were w. J. Bartlett, Whitman
Danielson, Alexander Gilman, G. II.
Gilpatric, A. ID. Lown, 0mer J. Milot
George l.. Padgett, F1F Russell.
President Dean explained that the
meeting had been called at the request
of the strikers to afford them an OPP
portunity to place their side of the
controversy before the directors of the
chamber. He told the weavers that
he would like to have them eonfine
themselves to their demands aad not
to bring in outside weavers.
Scores Merchants and Press
Mr.. Breault was the first spokes-
man for the strikers and told the di-
rectors that the men wanted a As
hour week with So hours pay and
time and a half for overtime work.
He said that the reason the strikers
had asked the Chamber of Commerce
to meet the committee was because
the people and business men had been
saying'sall kinds of things about them
and that they had been unable to get
statements in the local papers of their
side of the trouble and that they
thought that the Chamber Of Com
merce would be good enough to meet
them and give them chance to de.
fend themselves, He said that mer-
chants and citizens had told them to
'go to work. but they had no place te
20 and said, 1--WE are all American
people and are willing to answer any
questions
/ Chamber Has No Power to Act
The president stated that ths
! Chamber of Commerce had no power
to take any action in the matter. /,
could not tell the strikers to go back
or force the company to take them
back; it would have to be settled by
Mr.. Lown and the strikers. They had
been asked to meet and talk things
over, and were very glad to do that,
or to do anything else they could to
help.
Mr.. Vannose, another member of
the strikers delegation, said that they
did not come before the Chamber to
have anyone settle the strike. They
wanted the business men to stop talk
ing. He believed that some of the
business men had taken sides without
knowing anything about conditions.
He said that Mr.. Lown is white" and
had used them all right and they had
no grievance against him. He put the
responsibility for the trouble at the
door of the overseer.
Told He Was Crazy
Another man told of striker that
went into local store to buy suit OF
clothes, and the storekeeper told him
he was "crazy" and "things like that,
and ought to go to work. The man
told the storekeeper to put the suit
back on the shelf and walked out.
Scores Captain of Police
Another striker charged that while
he was standing near the store of
Henry Hurdman watching who went
to work at the mill nearby, the captain
of police came over to him and said,
Il thought you fellows knew some
thing. but | find you are pack OF
fools.
President Dean said that if that was
true the remark was unfortunate.
Asked For Information
Alexander Gilman asked if the strik-
ers intended to bring all of their trou-
bles before the meeting, or to state
what reason they have for demanding
shorter hours at the same rate OF pay.
President Dean said: "They seem
to have a grievance against the public
in general. While the Chamber might
say they did not think such remarks as
had been quoted should be passed, he
did not see how they could control
what people thought or said.
Mr.. Vannose told the directors that
he was standing on the corner and the
captain of police came up to HIM and
said. aWho is that man In the mack
NAV? know him, he has been in
strikes before; if he starts anything
around here he will find himself in jail
for six months
Were Afraid Of Getting Fired
1t was stated that the reason the
men walked out without first stating
their grievances was because there
had been rumor Of talk among the
men ard the overseer called four OF
them down to his Office and said he
would sire" them, and that he did not
want, them talking together in the
mill. The weavers decided il this was
the attitude that they had rather wall
out first than take chance Of gettinl