The Washington herald., 1922-02-15
TEXTILE STRIKE.
MAY Be FOUGHT
TO BITTER END
As, 900 Workers Are Out
In New Hampshire
And Rhode Island.

BOSTON, Feb. IA. The second
day of the cotton textile strike in
New Hampshire and Rhode Island
was marked by developments, which
indicated the determination of both
mill owners and their striking op-
eratives to fight to a finish on the
20 per cent wage cut program,
which, in many instances, was COM
bined with an increase in the work
ing week from forty-eight hours to
fifty-four.s----l- ----ssy+. --'TrN
The cotton manufacturing indus
try in these two States is practi-
cally at standstill. Forty mills
have been closed by the big walk
out, and the ranks of the strikers
number approximately $4,000. Their
numbers were neither depleted nor
increased to any extent Tuesday.
though the missionary work of the
Rhode Island strikers was reported
to have caused 200 or 800 more In
that State to leave their looms.
All the mills affected are under
heavy police guard, but there were
no disturbances at any point. Man
chester Is settling down for a long,
hard strike. The sentiment of the
public there is with the strikers.
Good VIII Desired.
Vice President James Starr, of
the United Textile Workers OF
America, who is in charge of the
strike in New Hampshire, said he
intended to keep the good will of
the police and the public: it was
lis policy in previous strikes. in
speeches he declared emphatically
AGAINST q 1fr hn
the present program of peaceful
picketing.
Nashau and the several other
New Hampshire mill cities and
towns affected may be expected to
where plore workeEs are out than
in any Nother city, and which has
been made Starts State headquar-
ters.
Since Gov San Souci threatened TO
order the Rhode Island State Militia
into the field to keep order, the
situation in the Pawtucket and
Blackstone valleys has become re-
markably free from the mitigate
demonstration, approaching the riot
class, which occurred last week.
Two troops of cavalry are still un-
der arrangements and waiting or
ders at Providence 'armories but
the strikers have confined their ef-
forts to moral suasion of the opera
tives in those few mills which ef-
fected wage cuts and were able to
continue operation.
May settle Mt Lowell.
The third and last impor-
tant phase Of the strike wave
seems much more likely of early
settlement. This is at Lowell,
where President John Hanley of the
local textile council stated that the
strikers were willing to arbitrate
Mayor Brown. 1t Isl understood, will
officially notify the Massachusetts,
State board Of arbitration of the
strike and steps will be taken to
effect a settlement
Quite different is the situation in
the new New Hampshire and Rhode
Island sectors. Here the proposed
return to the old fifty-four-houi
week seems to have become even
more a bone of contention than the
wage cut. and union officials de-
clare they will never compromise
on this question. Many believe the
strike in New Hampshire would not
have occurred. or at least not SO
precisely, had the manufacturers
not abolished the torty-eight-hour
week. 1t is pointed out that in most
of the centers where. only the wage
cut was imposed, operatives are at
work under the new schedule.