Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-06
PROVES FAILURE

Manchester. n. H., June Shy 4.
P0-Striking textile operatives in
New Hampshire today claimed VIC
tory. Only 500 of the $4,000 opera
tives normally employed were at ork
on the first day of the re-opening of
cotton mills in Manchester, Nashua,
Dover and Somersworth. it was estim-
ated by police and newspaper men.
Mills in Newmarket, Exeter and Sun
cook did not attempt TO reopen. The
mills throughout the state have been
closed since February 10 as a result
of strike in protest against a 20 per
cent. wage cut and 81 hour week.
The Coolidge mill of the Amoskeag
Manufacturing company. which oper-
ates one of the largest cotton manu-
featuring plants in the country, will
continue to operate in part with the
idea of offering work to operatives
who care to accept it, a statement is
sued by Agent Straw today said.
Mill officials refused to say how many
operatives were at work in the mill.
saying that no Official count had been
made.
Textile workers, through their press
committee here, in a statement de-
clared that the workers turned out in
the vicinity of the mills in spite of
the advice of strike leaders in order to
answer the statement of Governor
Brown at a recent conference in Con-
cord to tie effect that departments of
the mills should remain open in order
that work might be provided for
many people who were suffering and
in want"
Officials at the Nashua and jackson
mills of the Nashua Manufacturing
company at Nashua also planned to
keep certain units open in spite of the
fact that only few workers had re-
turned. Similar action was planned
at the Great Falls mills at Somers-
worth. The Pacific mills at Dover
closed the plant again when only
few operatives reported for work.
Four arrests were made during the
day. two at Manchester for the jecr-
ing of returning workers. and two in
Nashua for alleged violation of an in
junction against picketing in force
there. The four men were later re-
leased. Six men arrested at Nashua
tonight on similar charges furnished
bonds for hearing later. Idle oper-
atives and sym0athizers made demon
STATIONS this morning at each mill
centre where attempts were made to
reopen, but there were no serious
disorders.
At the Coolidge mills this morning
approximately 5000 persons ASSEMBLE
ed. In this crowd could be discerned
two official pickets at each gate with
white streamers bearing the words
~. T. W. Strikers" across their
breasts. The police had ordered that
only two authorized and accredited
pickets be stationed at each gate.
Figures compiled by police and
newspaper men through the state
showed that about 500 operatives
vent to work in the mills affected
by the strike. Textile workers
claimed that many of this number
were lOIclllen ana second Da0uS. The
greatest number was at the mills of
{ Nashua Manufacturing Com
pany, where 230 We're at work. Fifty
of these were new workers, it was
said, the others having been employ
ed steadily since the beginning of the
strike. An injunction against picket
ing is in force there, but today SYM
pathizers, according to the police.
merely transferred their picketing
operations to streets a few blocks
from the mills, where the workers
We're bound to pass.
At Somersworth about % entered
the Great Falls mills. Here the 1000
strike sympathizers who surrounded
the mills were orderly.
Only five workers entered the Pa
cific mills at Dover while more than
1000 looked on. and the officials de-
cided to close the MILL
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