The labor world., 1922-09-16

credit unimpaired.
Strlke-Busincss 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 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 long as these organizations feed
and clothe the strikers, whose rights
they have a. 'umed 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.
No Reason to Doubt Claims.
tn a
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 gen.
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 logged resistance,
even when the soldiers and the sher-
ifs come and put their household
elects out on the sidewalk.
James NJ. Dick, organizer for the
Amalgamated, "the man who started
the strike" told a representative Of
the strike" said of it: IF
it were not for the evictions there
would not be a wheel turning in the
Pawtuxet valley today. The mill men
couldn't do it with the militia, the
sheriffs or the injunctions, but when
1t comes to turning Il man and his
family out Of home he is likely to
weaken"
Mr.. Dick said the Amalgamated
had 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
would not predict how much longer
the strikers could be held together.
"How about the winter?" he was
asked.
A..'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
ongest."
Functioning Efficiently.
Mr.. Dick and his fellow org%nlzer,
William H. Derrick, said the orga>-
kation most picturesque of the :Ro,
which had been built up around the
ttrike, is functioning more efficient
y than ever Ind will keep on func-
koning as long as workers in dis
hnt fields continue their support.
Members of the general strike
tommittee said one of the things that
jhows how the public feels about
= he strike in the valley is the con-
tdence business men have in the
jrxanization. All of the purchases
IL necessaries are made on orders
esued with the signatures of the
Hartman and the secretary of the
aieneral committee. Merchants have
pay day" at Arctic headquarters
VERY Saturday afternoon. They turn
= the slips on which strikers have
tbtained goods from them and are
laid In cash.
i$In addition the Amalgamated has
u own shoe buying and distributing
department.. supplying to strikers
md their children between $400 and
ZOO worth of shoes each week, pur.
hased at,wholesale prices. Two cob.
her shops. employing eight men tc
Esteep shoes in repair or striker, who
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