The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-29
rHg COTTON MILLS STRIKE.

I THE COTTON MILLS STRIKE.
Thousands OF cotton mill operators
are on strike in New England and
many have been out for weeks, Mill
owners are confronted by a situation
similars to that which has overtaken
I the coal operators They are COM
PEELED to compete with the mills of
\ the south which are not unionized and
! where native labor is employed.
On the surface. the textile strike is
struggle between employer and en-
ploye. between capital and labor. The
union leaders would like to have that
view accepted. Public sympathy
might be enlisted if the point could be
driven home that the mill owners in
order TO obtain or maintain big prof
its have forced their operatives to
strike by issuing orders calling for a
longer working week and n lower
wage scale. In the present dispute,
however the question OF profits is not
the only one involved. The issue now
being fought out transeends the limits
of the percentage return on capital
participation. Two major points are
pressing for settlement. One is the
matter of getting production costs
down to a level where the buyer will
be satisfied TO make purchases in vol
ume. The other is a determination of
the question as to whether cotton
manufacture in New England can
be maintained as an economically
sound industry in the face of compe-
tition by southern mills.
costs due to advantageous natural
conditions and drastic wage cuts have
been taking the markets away from
their northern competitors. This is
because the existing moderate de-
mand did not call for full production.
and the orders have been going to the
low priced seller, which means the
low cost producer
The action of the mill owners,
therefore, is more in the interest of
the consuming public and their own
employees than for the benefit of their
own stockholders. They feel conf
dent that il they can stabilize prices
on low cost production basis the pub
lie will be satisfied to buy. This will
mean continuous employment for
gregate wage payments.
In the opinion of textile experts,
the unit cost OF production among
New England mills. owing chiefly to
the item of labor, has been placed
considerably above the level of COM
petition elsewhere, particularly in the
south The wage cost per pound of
production IN New England mills is
higher than in the south, ana as a re-
suit the unit cost per yard also Is
higher. In the last year or so south
ern mills have cut wages from IS 10
IS per cent. probably an average OF
40 per cent, while eastern mills have
made reductions of about 22h per
cent. In addition 20 this the working
week in the south is from 81 to so
hours, while in New England it IS
from As TO 50 hours. Many of the
southern mills are operated by reIa-
lively cheap hydro electric power. and
it is not necessary to heat the plants,
or at least it is not necessary to heat
them all the time In New England
the item of fuel is an important fac
tor. and the cost of heating the plants
is considerable.
II labor could get away from the
notion that employers always are try
ing to beat it down FOR the purpose of !
increasing thsS~ profits. adjustments !
OF wage differences would be accom- !
plished much more easily. The prof |
its accruinE from a reduction of |
wages never equal the losses result !
ing from a-strike. Where work Is |
continuous both sides prosper. When |
there IS a strike both sides lose