The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-27
10000 PASSAIC
STRIKERS CHEER
ONE YEAR FIGHT
Enthusiasm Over Brave
Struggle

PASSAIC, n. j., Jan. 26-Over ten
thousand textile workers and strikers
packed two halls to capacity last
night to celebrate the first anniver-
sary of the biggest textile strike this
city has ever had
The same program was given at
both the Belmont Park Hall in Gar
field, and the Ukrainian Hall, in Pas
sale, and included speeches by strike
leaders and friends from nearby
cities, with musical numbers by local
and New York talent.
Ellen Dawson financial secretary
Of Local 1903, U. T. W., presided at
the Belmont Park meeting, with
Thomas DeFazio, Italian organizer,
in charge at UBrainian Hall.
Gustave Deak, president of Local
1903, reminded the meetings of how
the strike began in Botany with the
demand for the return of the wage
cut and of the summary dismissal of
the committee presenting the demand.
He told how the workers Loyalty fol-
lowed the leadership of the United
Front Committee and had the big
mill completely tied up by the follow
irg day. He referred to the race
prejudices, which he said the bosses
bad fostered among the workers, and
Of the wiping out Of these prejudices
during the white heat of "a crusade
for better conditions. He praised
the SPLENDID solidarity of the work
ers which had made possible the four
settlements so far achieved He re-
ferred to "those few who had lost
courage and gone back to wolk, only
to find themselves in disgrace when
the union finally forced the mills to
settle"
Both Miss Dawson and Thomas
De Fazio, in opening their meetings.
gave a brief outline of the year of
struggle and the purpose Of the meet
ings.
Referring to the letter Of Mr..
Forstmann to Judge Cabell, Deak
praised the Forstmanh & Huffman
workers for the spirit they lad shown
in rejecting the Forstmann tea ms.
Foreign Born Can Be Organized"
"They say in the textile centers,
that textile workers are a lot of
ignorant foreigners, that they don't
know how to organize, Lut | as a
textile worker, say for you all that
we appreciate fully the Importance OF
organization, that we stand Tor union
ism and that we are determined to
preserve and protect the union we
have built and fer which we have
sacrificed so much during the past
year"
Alfred Wagenknecht, relief chair
man, congratulated the strikers upon
their tenacity, courage and solidar-
ity:
To-day a year ago the strike was
called. There are very few strikes
that have lasted year. This strike
has persisted, and has won victories,
because you have all stood so solidly
by your union.
How Relief Was Organized.
"Many of you knew very little in
those early days about the labor
movement-of the worldwide efforts
Of workers to organize so that they
could fight effectively against their
exploiters. Speakers came to you
and ebld you day after day of the
labor movement, and you began to
understand the significance of your
own struggle.
81 want to congratulate you upon
your courage, your tenacity, your
solidarity. l do not know of strike
in which a group Of workers have
stood so Loyalty to an ideal as this
group. The entire labor movement
must place this to your credit.
To-day, a full year after the strike
began, you are still continuing your
struggle against the nj Is which have
not yet settled.
Message of Solidarity.
Louis Rifkin, President OF Walters
and Mattresses Union Local No. l..
came from New York City 10 assure
the strikers of the continued SYM
pathy of his union with the strike:
"Not many unions can boast SC
proud an accomplishment as yours.
have spoken in two halls tonight and
/ did not believe that would see sc
large a crowd in these two halls one
year after the strike had begun.
was here six months, four months
ago. and each time / come here the
crowd seems larger.