The labor world., 1922-09-16

advertising it has received, has
credit unimpaired.
strlke-Business Houses.
1t is a fact that the organization
built up by the Amalgamated Textile
Workers of America in the Pawtuxet
Valley, starting eight months ago, and
the United Textile Workers of Amer
lea in the Blackstone Valley, begin
ming one week later, are strike-busi-
ness houses. The stock in trade of
each is the confidence that a sympa-
thizing public has that 1t will turn to
correct accounting the money and the
food the public gives to help the
strikers establish standards of living.
AS longsas these organizations feed
and clothe the strikers, whose rights
they have a. .umeG to defend, the or
ganizations demand in return that
their wards stay out of the mills. The
longer the strikers stay away from
their jobs the better will be business
for the unions; that is, the more
prestige will organized labor have.
The interests which organized labor
has is shown by the streams of coins,
bills and checks, which keep pouring
in from buyers of invisible shares Of
stock or from public spirited givers.
So we'll have the organizations taken
care of their credit that in each jur-
isdiction the relief cards or signed
orders are veritably new kinds of
currency.
N tn 0o4
There is no reason to doubt the
claims of the mill men to gains.
There is no disputing the fact. ac
cording to observers, that much of
the gaining has been In inexperienced
unskilled labor, which has been ex-
pensive. Some Of the mills profess
to have all the help they need or to
be able to get what help they want
when business warrants hiring more.
At Berkeley, where the strike in the
Blackstone valley started, the mills
are still effectively. closed. The gem
'eral situation has not changed to the
advantage of the employers to the
point where they are willing to aban-
don the matter Of last resort, the
eviction.
In the Pawtuxet valley there have
been many evictions. Here are 1900
Polish strikers. Men who have fol-
lowed the course of the strike from
the very first day say that this Polish
contingent is the keystone to the
strike structure. All of the other IA
or Is nationalities involved in the
Pawtuxet valley strike periodical
ly accuse the Poles of weakening.
This, it is said, is why the Poles are
offering such a dogged resistance,
even when the soldiers and the sher-
ifs come and put their household
elects out on the sidewalk.
James M. Dick, organizer for the
Amalgamated, 1.-The man who started
the STRIKE" told a representative Of
the strike,' said of it: If
it were not for the evictions there
Pawtuxet valley today. The mill men
couldn't do it with the militia, the
sheriffs or the injunctions, but when
1t comes to turning n man and his
family out of home he is likely to
weaken"
Mr.. Dick said the Amalgamated
tad been guaranteeing rent in houses
for evicted families and has begun
setting up Of proposed tent colonies
to provide shelter for others when
the rentable tenements are filled
He would not admit that the mill
owners are going to win but he
the strikers could be held together.
''How about the winter?" he was
Asked.
* "Well, it was winter when they
tame out Of the mills They had
tothing when they came out. They've
tot just as much now. Those who
had the least are staying out the
bngest."
F'unctioning Efficiently.
Mr.. Dick and his fellow organizer,
William H. Derrick, said the orga2-
kation most picturesque Of ths :Eo,
which had been built UP around the
(trike, Is functioning more efficient
than ever Ind will keep on func-
koning as long as workers in dis
hnt fields continue their support.
Members Of. the general strike
committee said one Of the things that
ihows how the public feels about
he strike in the valley is the con-
tdence business men have in the
organization. All Of the purchases
Il necessaries are made on orders,
Issued with the signatures Of the
hartman and the secretary Of the
.ieneral committee. Merchants have
pay day. at Arctic headquarters
VERY Saturday afternoon. They turn
h the slips on which strikers have
aajbtained goods from them and are
.Sssd in cash.
tn addition the Amalgamated has
nRlen shoe buying and distributing
department.. supplying to strikers
md their children between $4o0 and
hoo worth of shoes each week, pur-
uaased at Wholesale prices. Two cob
her shops, employing eight men to
eep shoes in repair or a striker, who
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