The Connecticut labor press., 1920-06-12
WATERBURY FORCES BURY DIFFERENCES
 TO CARRY ON FIGHT
A. F. of L. and New England Workers Join Hands in
 Big Strike.
CERTAIN TO WIN NOW
Common Council Hears Masters Voice and Turns Down
 Ex-Soldiers.

Waterbury, June 11.-Burying their past differences in the realization that united front is necessary to win their battle, the 15,000 or more strikers affili ated with the A. F. of L. organizations and the New England Workers Associa- ton, this week joined hands and will henceforth work hand in hand toward a complete victory. The movement was started by organizers of the Interna tional Association of Machinists whose members, 2,500 strong, went out a week ago with the others when the man. ufacturers ignored their demands for increased wages or even a conference.
 Since the start of the trouble early in April when unskilled workers enrolled in the A. F. of L. locals went on strike, to be quickly followed by the New Eng land Workers, there has been constant pickering and much jea1usy between the two organizations as to the carrying on Workers held the opinion that the A. F. of L. was intent on gobbling them up and until the convention of the Con- necticut Federation of Labor here, when Organized Labor came royalty to the support of all men on strike, continued in that belief. After the convention, however, they began to realize that 1t was a fight of, all for one and one for all, and therefore when the Machinists proposition was put forth last Saturday for get-together it found many in a receptive mood.
 Leaders on both sides were quickly brought together and after various dis cussions during the early part of the week, the amalgamation has been prac- tically completed and both will work together now with the one end of com plete victory in view. Neither side is to attempt to take the others mem bers or interfere with their internal affairs in any way, the amalgamation being solely to secure united front and work in conjunction. Much benefit must assuredly come out of the arrangement as it will effectually prevent the man ufacturers or their spies or agents, working one organization against the other as they have been trying to do in the past. ...
 The strike has been unusually quiet this week. On Monday night the ex- service men who paraded cr, Friday last despite refusal of permit even after an appeal to Mayor Sandland, presented themselves before the Common Council and asked that body to use its power to give them the right to have peace full parade and to stop the autocratic actions of Police Chief Beach. They were turned down flat, the council de- ciding so promptly to stand behind the police chief and Mayor Sandland, that it was plainly evident that 1t had had ''the little red book" read ito them be- forehand and had learned the lesson well. Several members of the council expressed their sympathy privately, but didn't have nerve enough to go against the mayor on the floor.
 The strikers show no signs of weak ening, but on the contrary are more de- termined to stick it out than ever. The financial and moral support now being poured in from all pafss of the country Is giving the strikers confidence in being able to eat once in a while. and the feeling that not only they but organ ized labor all over are in the fight and it's up to them to win 1t. Meetings are held daily and report after report re- ceived of efforts by outside paid agents trying to start trouble. Through inter prefers sent by the big organizations, the strikers now understand these movements and have been able to off, set them. The armed guards" and arsena1led cops are still on duty hut they can't even find decent fight to pitch into and are getting tired of shouldering their machine guns without a chance to let them off.