The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-03-11
ALLIED TRADES
BIG STRIKE IN
PHILADELPHIA
lSnecial Correspondencel

tSHtCldl tOIICSpOHuGHIeJ
Philadelphia, Pa, March Z. - The
gigantic strike of the allied trades
employed by the VIM. Cramp u Son
Ship q Engine Co., has now en-
tered its seventh week with the
/ workers determined to stick to the
bitter end. 1t has developed into
an actual test of strength between
the ii allied trades standing to-
gether as a unit and supported by
| their various Internationals and the
Cramp Co., backed by all the pow
erful capitalistic interests deter
mined to crush organized labor.
To date there have been more
than 200 arrests of strikers and
their pickets on charges varying
from corner loafing to melting to
riot. Martial law was virtually
declared some time ago when over
900 police reserves We're assigned
to strike duty in the shipyard dis
trict and all streets adjacent to the
shops were closed and picketing
prohibited during certain hours by
the police. Some of the most pow
erful organs of plutocracy in the
Shape of the local daily press have
been carrying on a campaign of
villification and accommodation Of
the strikers. AS a result of their
shreiks for suppression of the strike
by the state police, Mayor Moore
attempted to mediate and pave the
way for arbitration. The AFRO
CANT attitude Of the company in
replying that there was nothing to
arbitrate' closed this avenue TO a
speedy settlement and incidently
won the support of many influen-
tial citizens to the strikers cause.
rayed against them, the strikers
are maintaining a solid front and
are as yet undaunted by the whole
sale arrests of their fellow workers.
In an effort to stampede the strik-
ers into returning to work under
the company's terms, local papers
published articles to the effect that
on a certain date the company was
obliged to turn away 500 appli-
cants for jobs on account of having
filled all the vacancies. A week
later the same paper published an
interview with the management of
the company stating that they had
been able to recruit force equal
to so per cent of their normal force.
The strikers in their daily meetings
fill three of the largest halls in the
city and they treat the frantic eff
forts of the company to stampede
them as a huge joke. 1t is con-
fidentially expected by the strike
leaders that the next move of the
I1 Il
will be to announce Il that the strike
has been called off in last des-
perate attempt to break the ranks
IF the strikers.
The solidarity of the strikers has
won them the admiration and respect
Of all the workers of the city with
the result that they are being given
as liberal support as their slender
resources will permit. Very few
men have to be turned away by
the pickets due largely to the wide
publicity given the strike by the la
Dor press.
The workers in the other Della
ware River shipyards are carrying
on an extensive organizing CAM
paign and as result of their ac-
tivity they are securing hundreds of
new and re-instated members. The
Westinghouse Co., which recently
moved it's turbine and marine equip.
ment plant from East Pittsburg to
this city have announced a Is per
cent reduction in wages. The Ma
chinists Union seized the oppor-
tunity to call a mass meeting in
protest with the result that cam
paign has been launched to or
ganize the 5000 employees of that
company.
Thus it will be seen that the in
evitable reaction against the ar
bitrary and oppressive tactics of
the Chamber of Commerce and 9TH
er subsidiaries of Big Business has
set in. The 1000 strikers at Cramps
are confident of winning their
fight for industrial democracy pro-
vided they have the support of their
fellow unionists. Their magnifi-
cent display of solidarity has at
tracted nationwide attention and
upon the successful conclusion of
the struggle rests the possibility
of making Philadelphia a 100 per
cent organized town and it's elimin-
alton as menace to the organized
labor movement.
Funds are urgently needed to re-
lieve cases of distress and suffer-
ing among the strikers who have
sacrificed their all in an effort to
secure their rights as free citizens.
All remittances should be sent to
H. L. harrington, Treasurer, Relief
Section, Central Strike Committee,
Room 853 Heed Bldg, Philadelphia,
Do