The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-03-28
SENATORS FEAR
INQUIRY into
TEXTILE STRIKE
EdwGrdS Launches New
Attack on Strikers
BY LAWRENCE TODD,
Federated Press STAFF Corresponding

WASHINGTON, -(FP)-- March 26
Sen. Edwards Of New Jersey, de-
termIned that any inquiry by the
senate committee on manufactures in
to the Passaie textile strike shall be
blocked, has Issued a new attack on
Albert Weisbord, leader Of the strik-
ers. His statement is in the form of
a letter to Rabbi Stephen Wise of
New York, who had asked whether
Edwards had been correctly reported
as saying that the Passaie textile
workers were we'll paid and their con-
citions satisfactory. Wise had offered
to debate this issue with Edwards In
public.
The democratic senator's announce
ment came just after Chairman Nc
Kinley of the manufacturers commit
tee had agreed to try to get his COM
mittee to meet Saturday morning,
March q, to consider the LaFollette
resolution of investigation.
Edwards Baek-Waters.
Edwards told Rabbi Wise that he
had never made any statement that
the Passaic mill workers were we'll
paid or their conditions satisfactory.
Yet he quoted from his own speech
to the senate, opposing any federal
interference, the following:
81 happen to have been an alien
property director in one of the mills
in which the strike took place, and
know of my own knowledge that the
employees in any manufacturing indus
try were never better treated"
He repeated what he said he had
wired to the Civic Club, the Amalga-
mated Clothing Workers of America,
the Passaic Hotel Ware Co., Albert
Weisbord, strike leader, and to the
secretary of the Passaic chamber of
commerce, that present conditions in
the Passaic textile industry is a mat
ter for the attention of the state of
New Jersey and the city of Passaic,
and until these matters get out of
control of the state and city author
tiles the federal government has no
Jurisdiction whatever to interfere"
Fear Federal Investigation.
To this declaration he added the
sentiment: New Jersey is a free and
untrampled commonwealth capable of
taking care of her own affairs in the
city Of Passaic and needs no interior
ence from the Washington government
to bring about sane and healthy rule
in her industry"
After praising Gov. Moore, Edwards
declared that he understood Weisbord
to be foreigner. neither citizen Of
the United States nor of New Jersey
land as long as the Passaic strik-
ers, for whom | have great sympathy,
are willing to permit outside agitators
to come to New Jersey for the purpose
Of creating dissension and incipient re-
volution. just so long must they be
ready and willing to accept the conse-
quences."
Press correspondents who have
talked with Sen. Edge, who claimed
he was willing to have an investiga-
ton by McKinley's committee, now
are Of the opinion that Edge will do
nothing to aid the inquiry and will be
pleased II his fellow-reactionaries veto
1t. They gain the impression also that
both New Jersey senators believe the
mill owners are wholly opposed to any
inquiry, and that Col. johnson of the
Botany mills, in sending telegram
urging that an inquiry be had, was not
acting in good faith.
II the senate committee refuses to
hold or recommend the investigation
II will do so because organized bust
ness is hostile to any disclosure Of
the wages and labor conditions in the
most highly protected of tariff-favored
industries.
Sen. LaFollette. sponsor of the reso-
luton, is now busy daily with the in
vestigation OF the tariff commission.
Sen. Wheeler is engaged on railroad
measures in the committee on inter
state commerce. Sen. Reed OF Mis-.
souri, is i'll. These men on the manu-
facturers' committee were counted up
on to develop the facts when the pro-
missed inquiry should start.