The Washington herald., 1922-02-14
a
New Hampshire Opera
tives Join Fight Against
Wage Reduction.
10000 ON STRIKE
IN MANCHESTER
Lowell Only City in Bay
State Thus Far Af-
fected.

ICStCus
BOSTON. Feb. 1s.-Between 10000
and $1,000 cotton mill operatives were
on strike in New Hampshire. Mas
sachusetts and Rhode Island today.
Manufacturers In a number of tex
tile centers made effective a gen.
eral wage reduction OF 20 per cent
and a return from the modern work
ing week of 4s hours TO the old
schedule Of 81.
Rhode Island. the first section hit
by the wage-cut program. had about
$4,000 workers idle. The chief strike
center was Manchester, n. II. In
that city about 10000 men and wom-
en- stayed away from work. The
great mills OF the Amoskeag Com
ing plant in the world. were among
those shut down.
Operatives at Work In Maine.
In all the Maine mill cities, fol-
lowing last minute decisions, the op-
eratives went 10 work under the new
scale. These centers. notably Lew
iston. Bjddeford, Augusta, Ssco and
Brunswick. have been afflicted with
two unsuccessful strikes in the past
three years. Each lasted two or three
months. The unions are still pay
ing the bills. The workers voted
against the wage cut. but neglected
to strike.
The reduction in pay and increase
in hours were Statewide in New
Hampshire, and the walkout was al
most equally general. Only few
hundred OF the States $4,000 mill
workers remained at their machines.
These were perhaps the I per cent
Of less who voted against the strike
at union polls last week.
2.800 Out In Lowell.
The only Massachusetts city af-
fected was Lotell. where 1900 en-
pioyes of the Hamilton Mil and the
Bay State Cotton Company, which
announced reductions effective to-
day. are out The Hamilton Mill
did not open. but officials OF the
Bay state said enough men had re-
ported to Justify an attempt to
operate.
No violence was reported from
any point. Mill properties were
closely guarded. But aside from
peaceful picketing at the mill gates
and sporadic parades, there were no
demonstrations. The strikers held
pep meetings" tonight in most of
the affected centers.
Like the Maine workers, nearly
1000 in Burlington, VT. went to
work under reduced wages. At
Fitchburg, Mass, employees reported
on the job at the Park Hill Mills.
Owners Quickly Close Mills.
One significant feature was the
alacrity with which certain of the
mills were closed. Beside the
Amoskeag and Hamilton mills. the
Nashua and Jackson mills at
Nashua. ~. H., and several smaller
New Hampshire plants were shut
down. This would seem TO indicate
that mill owners are perfectly will
ing to sit back and take things
easy. Indications are that the
strike will be long and bitter.
Nearly 1000 arc out at Nashua
The number out at other New Hamp-
shire centers was estimated as: Do
vcr. $500: Newmarket. 1900 SOM
ersworth. 500; Suncook. 500; and Ex-
etcr. 400.
Vice President James Starr Of the
Textile Workers of America. is in
charge Of the New Hampshire strik-
ers. with State headquarters at Man.
chester. Under his directions about
1900 men and women picketed the
Amoskeag and Stars mills through
out the day. The entire Manches-
ter police force and many special
guards were on duty, but there was
no disturbance.
Girl Operatives Parade.
Girl operatives at Nashua paraded
back and forth in front of the closed
mills. chanting. ''I had a good job
and left--left, right, left had a
good Job and I left"
The situation in Rhode Island,
where Gov. Sansouci warned Satur-
day that the next instance of vio-
lence attending the strike would au-
tomatically call out the State mill
tia, remained practically unchanged.
Operatives were cheered to learn
that they were no longer alone in
the fight against pay slashes and
working-ti time increases.
The Rhode Island workers are out
to close up all the mills in the State
where wage reductions have been i'm
posed. So, far they have tied up
thirty-two Of them. Several depart
.ments Of the Jenckes Spinning Com
pany in Pawtucket were closed after
strikers had persuaded many inside
to join their ranks. and the Home
Bleach and Dye Works were Grip
pled hy waIlxout of all but Six Of