Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-13
GOInpersP|edgesAid
To Textile Strikers
Tells Audience in Providence,
A. F. of L. VIII Stand Firm
ly For Strikers.

EFVFloence, II. l., March 1z.-The
American Federation of Labor will stand
firmly behind the textile strikers Of New
England in their fight against wage re-
ductions and increased working hours,
Samuel Gompers. president Of the fed
GRAFTON, declared here tonight, addressing
meeting Of several thousand persons
at local theatre. Speaking to an audi
ence of 5000 in Pawtucket this after
noon, Mr.. Gompers, who is touring the
textile areas Of New England where
strtAes are In porgress. gave a similar
pledge on behalf Of this organization.
Come what may" said Mr. Gompers
the United Textile Workers Of America
can count on the American Federation
OF Labor to stand behind them to the
fullest extent Of its power. The Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor will exert every
enort ungrudgingly, cordially and enthu-
slactlcally to, help the textile strikers to
| at least get bread during their struggle" ;"
The labor leader declared that textile
workers knew, If few other people did,
that about a year ago wages in this in
dustry were cut % IL per cent. They
knew that the cost of living had not been
reduced when that cut was put into ef-
feet. Today a further reduction of 20
per cent. was offered. the mill owners
thinking that because the first cut was
accepted with little more than a mur-
mur, the second would be accepted "in
actual silence" In addition to the new
wage reduction. mill owners proposed 10
| extend the 4S hour week to 81 hours
| Mill owners say that under existing
conditions it is impossible for them to
! compete with the mills of the south. "
| said Mr.. Gompers. Much already has
| been said in reply to that claim. The
| fact that the textile industry In the
south is largely owned and controlled by
northern capital is incontrovertible. No
attempt yet has been made to dispute
that fact
| IF the textile workers accept this 20
per cent reduction, is it not reasonable
! and natural to suppose that the textile
mills of the south will meet this cut With
a similar reduction in wages there? II
| that cut is made, will not the same COM
petition between the north and the south
again prevail? It will, and the mill
| owners of Rhode Island Will again de-
| mand 10 or 20 per cent reduction. Then
each side will go on competing and de-
| pressing downward. What then will be.
1 come of the textile industry in America
| Let this competition continue and there
will be no textile industry left in New
England. Thank God, there are enough
industries in the United States to allow
men and women now employed in the
! textile business to find livelihood"
Nobody disputed. said Mr.. Go1npera
that industrial depression existed. Gov
ernment agencies estimated the nun,be,
OF unemployed in the country at 5000,
| 00O These unemploye ed were unable t,
consume because they were unable Il
buy, RedlSstion Of wages in the textii,
industry would mean reduction by 20 pc
I nf f1aa
sands, and this would affect thousands o
other industries.
Replying to the published statemen
that, in accepting 20 per cent wage re
duction, the textile workers would b.
getting more than in 1914, Mr. Gomper
advised the gentleman making that STATE,
ment to go back to the time Of Adam
and Eve and compare their earning DOW
ers of their time with those of the pres
ent day"
That man fOrgets we ars living in tn
year Of grace 1922" he declared. 9TH
great world conflict was not merely
war against the kaiser. 1t was a wa
against system. and we did not max
all the sacrifices We then made to ex
change political autocracy for indllstris
autocracy
1T is the plain duty of the mil owner
, to call upon the representatives Of tn
textile workers to meet in conference an
try around the table to find what is bes
to be done in the present situation an
present the result to the whole industr,
They should not act like autocrats. The
, should not, without consultation, issu
their proclamation that wages are to b
: reduced and hours of labor heightened
That might have gone in the good oil
times, but it don't go now. would lii,
to impress on the minds of the mill OWL
ers that they are not monarchs of a
they survey"
Thomas F. Mcmahon, president Of til
United Textile Workers of America. an
other labor leaders spoke at both meet
ings. Mayor Gamer of Providence e.
: tended welcome to Mr.. Gompers at tn
: evening meetfnr