The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-03-28
MUscATINE, IOWA.

THIS town is the graveyard of craft
4 unions and hopes of the workers.
Following the button wokers' strike
fourteen years ago the spirit of Mus
catine died. At. that time little bust
ness started in friendly to the strik-
ers, but as soon as the factory own
ers, brot in gunner and militia lit
tie business changed front.
They wanted law and order, peace
and harmony; so the strike was lost
after twelve months of battling. The
workers were defeated in decisive
battle and reduced to a state of serf-
dom. Little business has had to give
up its independence" and become the
vassal of the millionaire owner of
Muscatine.
THE button workers defeated the
4 first attempt to use gunner to
protect strikebreakers. The thugs
were driven into hotel and surroun.
ed, and only the pleadings of the
"best citizens" saved them. They
were allowed to depart, only to re.
turn later with three times the force
This aroused the entire town and the
national guard was called out to pro-
tect claw and order"
Apparently the spirit of the strik.
ers could not be broken from without.
They then resorted to the tactic of
the French socialist, BRAND, they
called the strikers to the colors in
the national guard to break the spirit
of their own strike. Most of the
guardsmen were button workers.
Since the strike there has been nc
organization whatever in the button
factories.
Lumber Baron's Empire.
THERE are six button finishing and
L about twenty button cutting plants
in Muscatine. Some of the finishing
plants also have cutting departments
Button cutting plants are being placed
in the little hamiets in the country
and the farmer and his boys are do
ing the cutting when he is not work
ing sixteen hours a day on his rented
acres.
In the early days of MuscatIne, old
man Musser owned lumber yard and
prospered. He soon blossomed out
into a lumber baron, owning forest
tracts and saw mills, and during the
war got mixed up in some deal to
grab forests and was investigated"
by the government. Old man Musser
left his son a lot of millions and the
baronetcy of Muscatine.
TODAY young MusseT is said to be
L worth a hundred million. He owns
two or three button factories, two
large sash and door factories, a mum
Der of banks and forty per cent Of the
business men have got to "see" him
to do business.
old man Musser was good" to the
town and gave a library, public park
and other trinkets to decorate his do
main. Needless to say that panels
bear his name in big letters to show
the @beneflcence" of the departed
master.
Sweating System" for Slaves.
THE men and women employed in
l. sash and door factori s work nine
hours per day, 51s days per week, for
from s124O to $19.25. In the button
factories the average wage for week
of fifty hours is s1450. Beginners
get $3.50 per day.
About two weeks ago an expert but
ton cutter, who has been following
this work for over twenty years, got
s12.S5 for fifty hours work. Another
good button cutter got $500 for a
full week and had family Of four to
support. A very few of the younger
men. by maintaining terrific speed
make up to $500 for a full week
This is all piece work and prices
are cut every time orders fall of