The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-02-04
WORKERS DECIDE
TEXTILE STRIKE
YET UNSETTLED
FOrstmann Huffman
Mills Hold Out

PASSAIC, Feb. 3.--For the second
'me in two days the striking workers
+ the Forstmann & Huffman COM
any refused to accent the letter OF
Julius Forstmann to Judge Cabell and
Monsigneur Herman as basis for
1ettlement Of their strike when last
night at Ukranian Hall, in secret bal
lot, they again declared themselves
unwilling to call off the strike on the
strength of that letter, and voted to
prosecute the strike with renewed
vigor.
A meeting the previous night in
which vote was taken by hands had
shown majority of those who vo-
ed as against calling off the strike,
but as most of those present had re-
Trained from voting, James A. Starr,
International vice-president Of the
United Textile Workers, had invoked
he constitution Of that organization
70 order a secret ballot
Letter Comedies Little.
The Forstmann letter, while put
ing the company on record as dis
9ensing with the silly fiction that
there was no strike in the T. & H..
Mills, does not eoncede recognition of
he right of the workers to organize
n a union of their own choice or to
10 collective bargaining. It merely
declares that the company had never
and does not now object to member
ship of its employees in outside or
carnations whether religious, social
or otherwise" while on the question
Of no discrimination the letter was
even more vague, Mr.. Forstmann sim
ply saying he would re-employ his
old workers as business permitted and
according to individual fitness.
Letter Only Basis.
At a meeting two weeks ago, at
which the Forstmann letter was first
presented to the strikers, it was unan-
imously decided to accept it only as
a basis for further negotiations and
to that effect President Mcmahon ard
president Starr were requested
to continue their efforts for full re-
cognition of the union. At this meet
ing the local leaders had advised this
course, and the strikers had accepted
their advise. Tuesday night, how
ever, the strikers were called togeth-
er to receive the report Of Vice-presi-
dent Starr that further efforts at ne
gotiations had been unsuccessful.
1--WE have done everything we could
to get better settlement" Starr re-
ported, 'but I am sorry to say we
have failed"
Relief Situation Critical.
In view of the critical relief situa-
ton, the stores being almost empty
and money coming in but slowly, the
strikers were advised by both their
local leaders and Vice-president Starr
Of the u. T. w. to call off the strike
and try to build union on the meagre
concessions made by Forstmann. The
attitude of the workers, however, was
that they would "starve rather than
surrender" and, as one man epitom-
lied it for the others they "would
90 to work in hell if there's a union
there, but would not go to work in
heaven without a union" The COM
pany union fostered by the F. & II.
came in for hot attacks from the
floor, the general sentiment being that
company unionism in Passaic should
be fought to finish.
Still Vote To Strike.
The meeting last night was called
to order by Gustave Deak, President
Of Local 1903, U. T. W.. who briefly
explained the method of taking the
vote. The strikers were then address
ed by Vice-president Starr, Chief Or
ganizer Francesca Coco, Ben LAWN
ski, Polish organizer, Emil Gardos,
Hungarian organizer, and Alfred
Wagenknecht, relief chairman, all
urging acceptance of the resolution
calling off the strike and calling upon
the A. F. Of L. and the U. I. W. Of
ficials to help the workers build a
union in the F. g. H. plants by hold
ing Forstmann to his word Of no dis
elimination. The floor was then
thrown open for questions and dis
cussions and an impassioned plea in
support Of the resolution was made
from the floor by Ellen Dawson, fl
nancial secretar of Local 1903, u. 7.
w. and herself a Forstmann-Huff
mann strikers. Most of the rank and
file, however, spoke against calling
eff the strike, expressing their deter
mination, after nearly year Of strike
(the' Forstmann-H Huffman workers
anne cut one month after the Botany
to continue the struggle with re-
newed vigor and unflagging zeal, and
when it was finally put to the vote II
was voted down three to enc.
The result was that Vice-president
Starr, the organizers and the relief
chairman all renewed their pledges OF
support until the strikers can secure
more satisfactory settlement.
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