The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-03-18
NO ARBITRATION,
CRY WILEIMANTIC
THREAD STRIKERS
U. S. Sends Arbitrator
to Help Bosses
BY WILLIAM slMoNs

WILLIMANTIC, Conn, March 10
(By Maill-Whenever workers go on
strike, there are always those who try
to get both sides to give in a
little to settle the conflict. There is
already in this city a representative
OF the United States department of
labor, who arrived today.
What will be her mission? To tell
the workers of Willfmantic to be salts
fed with less than the return of the
10 per cent which were taken on
January 18th? If so,p her task is in
vain. ~a
There is absolutely no foundation
for the cut in wages, except the cap
italist urge for more surplus value.
| Their bonds are rated the highest,
their preferred stocks pay a regular
semi-annual dividend, their common
stock gives an extraordinary dividend.
They can restore the 10 per cent cut,
and still make extraordinary profits,
for they were making them before the
cut and they have large sums set
aside in reserve funds which have
been used in similar instances to pay
dividends.
Arbitration Deadly.
Arbitration has never done the
workers any good. The impartial"
arbiter has been on the side of capital
There is no group which represents
the public interest The public" lines
up, usually against workers. Arbitra-
| ton is used when all other methods
fail to drive the striker into the fact
DRY or mill. And now should the
workers submit their case to any
board, they would lose any hope of
winning their demand.
The power of the strikers lay in
their laying down their tools, aband-
oning the machines and leaving the
mills without a wheel turning. There
in lies their power. They have shown
the doubling company that they could
tie up the mill. They must demons
trate that the company cannot operate
the mills without them. If they can
do that, they win; if not, they lose,
and other reductions stare them in
the face.
It was common knowledge of the
strikers that if they did not strike
against this cut, another was forth
coming in April The cut came. Jan.
18th, and the strike did not start5lntil
Morcb 9th fu-O mantle ~, ,r,biob 4bo
company piled up extra profits even
while the workers, on reduced pay,
were turning out thread to fill orders.
Too much time wassspent on negot-
iations with the company. Negotia-
tions were ignored by the company,
the only language they understand
was the international language of
the strike. Would that it had come
sooner! 1clL
Demandsl
The return of the cut is the first
need. But for two months, the pay
was cut. The company must be made
to return to each worker the full
amount robbed from his pay enve-
lope during that period. This demand
must be raised so loudly that the com
pany will hear. "a
Now is the time, when'labor is lined
up against capital in the strike, to
demand decent living conditions.
Where Were They Before?
The U. S. department of labor knew
that a cut had been given on Jan.
18th. Where were their represent
atives then? Why did they not use
any influence they may think they
have, so the cut should not go thru?
They were silent witnesses, and there
by accessories to the crime of wage
cutting and life destruction.
But, once a strike begins, a power
full strike that the workers will win,
then these representatives come to
settle" the strike. There can be no
settlement of this industrial war, un'
til the wage cut of 10 per cent is re-
stored. Afs
Notice should be given the Amer
lean Thread company that unless this
is done, a demand will be made that