The New York herald., 1922-02-12
New England Textile Workers
to Protest on Hours and
Reduced Pay.
OPEN SHOP TO BE ISSUE
Large Plants Announce Inten-
tiOn Of Going Ahead in De-
fiance of Unions.

Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD
BosToN, Feb. 11.--Fully 10000 work
ers will go on strike in the New Eng
land textile centers Monday morning
when the 20 per cent. reduction in
wages and the shift from the forty
four to the fifty-four hour week will
go into effect. Tie large majority of
the cotton and wooden plants have
posted notices to this effect and most
of them have announced their inten-
ton to go forward on an open shop
basis.
Nearly $4,000 hands will continue at
work in plants that are not involved
in the present controversy. In Lowell
and Lawrence, two of the most inn
portant centers. some of the largest
mills have declined to join the move
ment to alter the wages and hours.
William M. Wood, president of the
American Woolen Company, has an
nounced that wages will not be cut in
the American plants. At Lowell such
big plants as the Boot Mills, the Law
renee Hosiery Mills, the Merrimacl
Manufacturing Company and others
have declared mo change and in all
these TIE men will be at the looms as
usual.
Fall Rivers cotton manufacturers
thus far have refrained from onnounc-
ing their intention to readjust, and
there, too, the men will be at their
places.
The strike has been under way for
two weeks in Rhode Island in the inn
portant Blackstone and Pawtuxet VAL
ley manufacturing sections. About 12,00)
employees have quit work i'm this in
portant area and the majority of the
cotton plants Of the section are closed
Pickats are already on duty at such
plants as have kept the wheels moving
invariably with greatly depleted per-
sonnel. The strike in Rhode Island to
date has been marked bv numerous dis
turbances, none OF which has been seri-
Gus.
1t Is evident the situation is genuinely
serious and preparations are being mad }
by both sides for an extended struggle.
Relief preparations are under way un
der direction of union officials. The
authorities ara awake TO possibilities.
particularly in Rhode Island, where
State troops are held IN readiness foe
disturbances
Scores of important mills have posted
notices declaring their intention to op-
crate, beginning Monday morning. under
the open shop principle.
Important textile union organizers and
officials are on the field. James Starr.
second vice-president of the United
Textile Workers Union, is making his
headquarters at Manchester. y. H.. and
Thomas +. Mcmahon, president of the
United Textile Workers, is at Provi-
dence, directing the situation in the
Pawtuxet and Blackstone sections.
At Manchester Is located the largest
cotton mill in the world. the Amos
keag, employing 1900 hands. and there
also notices have been posted of the
new scales to go into effect Monday.
together with the plants at Nashua and
elsewhere i'm the Granite State.
IL is predicted that many hands In
Maine plants including Blddeford and
Saco may remain at work. Many meet
ings have been held in the last few days
and officials are at work among them.
In certain points in Maine. however.
the workers are expected to walk out
with the others.
Elaborate preparations for plcl<eting
have been made In every strike center
and 1t Is feared the split will result in
settling down" into n prolonged
deadlock. due 10 the limited demand for
goods. which the employers maintain
is a strong weapon in enabling them to