New-York tribune., 1922-02-12
W Walk-Out i'm Bio
Textile Plants
Set for Monday
" orkcrs in Many Cen,crs
in New England. Protest.
ing Wage Reduction and
o4-Hour Week. 10 Quit,
troops Are i'm Readiness
i'hodc Islands Governor
Warns Further Violence
Will Bring Stale Action
speoiol Dispatch to Tic T.,bpn,

d.
hoSION, Feb. I'm onday morning
VIII find important textile ccntcrs of
the New England states in tho grin Of
another strike. The situation dcvclons
from the recent order for oo rer
cent reduction in wages, which goes in
to effect the first of the week. in CON
junction with an increase from al to
od-hour week.
me strike has been under way the
!ast two weeks in Rhode Island. in the
important Blackstone and Pawtuxet
valleys manufacturing section About
io'V00 employees hare Quit work in this
important area and the majority of the
large cotton plants OF the section are
closed down. with pickets on duty at
s"ch plants IS have kept the works
moving with depleted personnel. The
Ss'flke in Rhode Island to date has
hcen marked by numerous disturb
"pces. none Of which has proved
serious.
Votes to quit work have been taken
ny many branches of the workers ia
the blg cotton centers OF New Hsn1n-
shire and Maine and in some wool ava
cotton plants in Lowell and Lawrence.
consp,cuous exception is tho Ameri-
can " oolcn Company, whose main plant
IS located at Lawrence. President VIII
nam M. Wood announced this week
that wages were not to be cut in the
American Woolen plants, explaining
mat II any action were necessary he
was more likely to slightly increase
the prce Of the product instead.
State Troops in Readiness
he other important exception is
Fall River. whore the employers have
as yet abstaincd from announcing any
change in the hours and wages and the
unions likewise have rcfraincG from
action
It Is evident that the situation is
serious and preparations are being.
made by both sides for an extended
struggle. Relief preparations are under
way under direction Of union officials.
Ihc authorities arc awake to the Dos
sibilities. particularly in Rhode Island.
where state troops are held in readi-
ness for disturbances.
The employees are going into the
strike with their ranks split. At Low
ell, for example, where the Bay State
Cotton Corporation has dec Jared its
intention to operate under open shop
conditions. Several other importaNt
plants. such as the Boot Mills. the
McEIlnac manufacturing Company. the
Lawrence Hosiery Mills. and some
others have announced that no chance
will be made st present in the work
crs' hours OF wage scale.
scores Of New England mills have
posted notices declaring their inten-
tion to operate. beginning Monday
morning. under the open shop prln-
c!plc.
Important textile union organizers
and union officials are in thc field.
James Starr, second vice president Of
the United Textile Workers. Union. is
making his headquarters at Manchcs-
ter. n. H., aud Thomas Z. Mcmahon,
president of the United Textile
W orkcrs, is at Providence. directing
the situation in the Pawtuxct and
Blackstone sections.
Maine Workers May Go Out
At Manchester is located the largest
cotton mills in the world, the Amos
keag, employing $4,000 hands, and
there also notices have been posted Of
the new scales to go into effect Mon
day, together with the plants at Nashua
and elsewhere in the Granite State.
jt is predicted that many hands in