The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-05-01
10000 FIGHT CUT IN
NEW ENGLAND MILLS

the local takers had failed to do in
! several decades.
Committees Propose United Front.
The Textile Mill Committees in
It's first statement proposed united
action between the membership of
the A. F. T. o. and the unorganized
workers through the Mill Commit
tees. This was rejected and instead
a statement appeared accusing the
Textile Mill Committees of being
danger to the existing unions and
to the manufacturers. This was an
open bid for the support of the
Mill Barons. That the A. F. T. O.
officials are getting this support
can be seen from the campaign of
Islander against the Mill Committees
and the effort of the local press to
terrori2e the unorganized workers
who were supporting the Mill Com
mittees. The officials went so far
as to have conference with the po-
lice officials pictures of the con-
ference appeared in the New Bed
ford Press) in an effort to break
up the mass meeting of the Mill
/ Committees. All their efforts failed
and the large turnout speaks well
for the courage and militancy' of the
unorganized workers.
Batty Against 209o Increase.
The Textile Mill Committees put
forward the demand of 20 per cent
/ increase as against the 10 n cent
cut and the eight-hour, day
week This was met by the com
bined attack of the officials and the
textile mill press. Mr.. Batty in
sted thar the workers were not ont
for 20 per cent increase and would
go back to the mills if the 10 ~
cent cut is returned. The press
praised the SANITY" Of the local of
ficials and attacked the proposal of
the Mil Committees. 1t is just in
such cases that Batty and Binns
show their hand as hirelings of the
textile interests.
! Birds of Feather, Etc.
The successful development of the
Textile Mill Committees in New
Bedford and other centers is making
uneasy the bankrupt leadership of
the textile unions. A few weeks
ago the leadership of the United
Textile Workers and the A. F. To
were at each Others throats in Fall
River. Now we find proposals for
peace and disarmament SO that a
common front of all labor takers cam
be established against the Textile
Mill Committees. McMahon's offer
to aid the A. F. 7. o. is an indication
also of rising tide of discomfort I'M
the ranks of the United Textile
Workers. The answer to this united
front must be the coordination of
all progressive forces within the in
dustry for common action against
these misieaders.
Spread the Strike!
New Bedford still remains theI
only center to open resistance. ThisI
presents a danger which must bel
overcome The mill owners areI
making desperate efforts to draw
the moose tightly around New Bed
ford. If they can succeed in isolat-
ing the strike, victory is indeed diff 1
ficuIt. With The strike only one
week old, reports are coming in that
new machinery is beng brought
INTO Taunton and that Fall River is
absorbing its army of unemployed
textile workers 1t is clear that ar
effort is being made to shift the or
ders to these centers. The A. F. ]
0. which has an organization in Fall
River remains passive in the face
If this effort to throttle the strk
It is the task of the Mill Committee
to redouble their efforts to spree
the strike--to defeat the isolatir
maneuvers Of the bosses.
The strike promises to be one
long duration. The statement c
the department Of labor in Washing
ton that it has adopted hands-of
policy, and the attitude of the stat
arbitrators indicate the determine
! ton Of the bosses to fight to show
down. The workers must be pre-
pared for this struggle. The Mil
Committees must begin to perfec
relief machinery to meet the need
of the tens Of thousands. The tex
Tile workers in other centers must
be made to realize that their owr
conditions depend on the successful
outcome Of this gigantic struggle
Victory is. assured if the masses o
workers in New England and Other
parts Of the country will rally t
aid New Bedford.
The present offensive in the tex
tile industry is part of the genera
offensive against the labor move
ment. The defeat of this offensive
in any important industry means the
beginning of the defeat of the gen
J eral offensive.