The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-10-17
TEXTILE OUTLOOK BETTER;
STRIKE GROWING LESS
WAGES Are About the Same al Before
The Strike, But Hours Have
Been Increased.


localities to conditions appoximatlng
those Of January l, last, in numbers OF
workers employed and working hours
and wage schedules prevailing, Is in
dicated In review of the present day
situation in New England textile cen
ters. With several important excep.
tons the restoration recently OF wage
cuts imposed earlier in the year by
mills in all textile manufacturing
states brought industrial peace In its
train New Hampshire and the Black.
stone valley Of Rhode Island where
strikes are in progress against the 90
hour week. are the leading exceptions.
In these two districts, according to
late estimates, mills normally employ
ing about $4,000 persons stll are In the
stake column. Included In this total
Is the Am0skeag mills of Manchester,
n. H.. tn which the Stork mills of
that city have merged since the strike
was declared. The normal compile.
ment of the combined mills Is placed
at 1900. Most OF the mills In this
category are operating in part, several
in the Blackstone valley claiming SIS
per cent OF the r normal personnel.
In the Blackstone valley of Rhode
Island where the textie strike first
broke out in the closing weeks of Janu.
airy, cotton mills, while not yet operat.
In ~ n nI a
preaching the normal, according to
those in touch with the situation
Wages are practically on the same
level as before the 20 per cent wage
cut of January which precipitated the
strike. The 54-hour working week
prevails in all plants except those OF
the Crompton company at Crompton.
only few mills are operating to ca.
racity, others are taking on additional
worker daily.
In the BLACKSTONE valley OF Rhode
Island all the mills which during the
Ia week IN January announced a 20
per cent wage cut and 54hour work
week have restored the wage cut. but
strikes continue against those retain.
ing the 54-hour week. The latter
plants normally employ about 10000
hands. All now are in operation. The
labor leaders concede that 60 per cent
of the normal complement has been
obtained; the mills claim So per cent
The mills which continue tJ operate
on the 54.hour schedule are: The
Jenckes Spinning company, Pawtucket.
5000; the Tam.dck company. Paw.
tucket, 1850; the United States Finish.
ing company. Pawtucket, ESQ; the
United States Cotton company, Paw.
| tucket, $50; the Dexter Yarn company.
Pawtucket, $50; the Slater Yarn com.
pany, Pawtucket. 300; the Sayes
Bleachery, Saylesville, 1900; Sayles
Finishing and Glenlyon Dye Works
Phillipsdale. 450; Acme Finishing com.
pany. Pawtucket 200. None OF these
plants was on 4S.hour schedule prior
to the strike.
In New Hampshire. where the strike
began February l3, few weeks later
than in Rhode Island. settlement have
been made at Newmarket and Exeter
The mills of the Newmarket Mfg. com
pany. employing 1900, re.opened Aug
ust ! on the basis of 50.hour week
and the prestriKe wage scale The
Exeter Manufacturing company al
Exeter, with 800 hands. adopted the
4S'hour week and the old wage scale
The Amoskeag mills at Manchester
have been operating in part S nee June
when the Coolidge mill was reopen
cd. Various units have been opened
from time to time since and at present
careful estimates place the number
employed at 1920. The 30 per cen
wage cut has been restored but tn,
mills adhere to the 54.hour week.
The Pacific mills at Dover, 1906
hands, rema n closed The Suncocl
mills, 600 hands, are operating in part
as the Nashua and Jackson mills,
5000, and the Great Falls Manufactur
Ing company at Somersworth. 1900.
In Massachusetts. where strike
were called only because OF wage cut
peace was restored when the cut
were rescinded. In Lawrence, wher,
walkouts occurred in March following
announcement of wage cuts in the Pa
c!tic, Everett, Acadia, Pembertor
MonomaG and Plymouth mills, tn
strikes were called of Labor Day. Dun
ing the period of the strike the Arlinp
ton mills employing 1900 hands, wer
closed down but this plant is now OF
Grating on nearly full time. Unde
normal conditions Lawrence text.l
workers number about $4,000. Tn
number at work today is said to b
considerably less, but the d.slocatio
Of the labor market due to the prolonl
ed period of inactivity Is gradual
r.ghting itself.
The textile industry In Main Is run
ming under approximately normal col
ditions. About $4,000 persons are en-
rloyed In the cotton mills and 11,00
in the wooden plants. Wages are tn
same as on January /, the 20 pc
cent reduet' on made In cotton mills 1
February having been restored Main
has been free from strikes this yeal
In Vermont where there were n
strikes In the textile industry durin
the year, several Burlington mills r,
Gently granted an increase in wage
of approximately IL per cent, TIL
general situation IL about the sam