The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-25
By Rayrnon Cofman

that "burdensome item," the wages?
After all, they weren't in business for
their health.
was not present when the mill
owners conferred, buc I'll bet the next
hat l hope to buy that this sort of
argument prevailed upon them:
"If we cut the wages, say 10 per
cent, we can probably persuade our
employees that it is necessary because
of hard times, and probably they win
accept it without making trouble.
Then we can maintain decent level
of profits. On the other hand, if there
should be a strike, it would come at
an suspicious time. There is a slack
in the industry, and few weeks dis
appearance of the workers from the
scene will not seriously handicap pro-
duction. They will be licked, and
wen fire all agitators and drive them
out of town."
If that reasoning prevailed, it did
not work out very well. Sixteen thou
sand men, women and children walked
out. 1t was one of those movements
which sometimes occur among unor-
yanized workers when they4are goad-
ID to revolt Some, indeed, who were
ess bold, less far-seeing, remained at
heir places, fearing the proverbial
Volt and anxious to hang on to what
trusts they had; but the greater part
Of the workers braved the snow of the
winter and did not scab
The strike has continued strong
80 weeks without a break. The rich
mill owners were at first Indifferent,
thinking that the workers could be
forced to come crawling back to work
at whatever miserable wages the mills
chose to pay. But they did not reckon
with the spirit of the striking textile
workers or with the American labor
movement, which has supported them
thruout the strike. When they saw
how well the strikers were sticking
the mill owners reused themselves
and resorted to violence in an effort
to crush the spirit of the strikers. In
this they were ably supported by the
local police, whose many acts Of I'M
provoked violence are too well anthem
ticated for reasonable doubt. ne
owners have resorted to every deceit,
frameup and device. They have pros
tituted the courts to their purposes,
and stiff Jail sentences and excessive
bail bonds have been the rule thru
the strike. More than 465 strikers
have been arrested to date in the DO
lice campaign to harass the striking
workers and break their strike. But,
miracle tho it may appear, they have
not been able to break this strike, and
it looks to me as tho they will never
accomplish this purpose. They viii
have to recognize the workers union.
have seen the Passaic workers IN
action, attended their meetings, OBJ
served their efficient and excellent re-
lief system, talked with the young
workers, in whom | am especially IN
terested. I can say without hesitation
that nothing in years has stirred my
faith in the workers world as has my
first-hand experience with this strike
of exploited textile workers. The
human brotherhood and solidarity dis
pIoyed in this struggle for unionism
will certainly have its effect on the
unorganized workers everywhere IN
the other textile industries and In all
American industry.
Finally, cannot see how any
worker or labor sympathizer can fail
TO dig down deep into his pocket for
strike relief for these heroic young
strikers: fathers and mothers, grand
mothers, grandfathers, young work
ers, all of them of heroic mould; all
of them sternly determined in their
fight for decent living wage. The
Passaic strikers are fighting the bat
ties Of every working man and woman
in this country and should be backed
to the limit of labor's purse, More,
In fhaif. ctruoCIa ao-aincf f1olico ord