The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-07-10

most enormous demonstrations
the same time they went on
record to man as spurning
contemptuously the plea of the
owners of the Sc mills that
they leave the ranks of the
strikers and return to operate
the silent looms.
The New Bedford Cotton Manu-
facturers' Association, through its
secretary, Andrew Raeburn, admit
ted this afternoon that the attempt
today to break the strike was fail
ure.
Long Threatened.
Since the first day of the strike.
over twelve weeks ago, when 10000
looms were silenced by the unani-
nous walkout, the manufacturers
have always tried to explain away
their inability to begin operations
in even one plant by declaring that
they did not want to open.
1t was only until about two weeks
ago, after the textile employers had
secretly arranged for the assistance
of the city and state military and
police apparatus, that they pub
lished the announcement that they
had finally decided to reopen the
mills" with the ten per cent cut still
effective.
The New Bedford Textile Work
ers Union of the Textile Mills Com
mittee readily accepted this chal-
lenge and welcomed the test of
strength, responding Immediately,
however, with calls for preliminary
mass demonstrations. These includ-
ed parades and larger picket lines.
The work Of arousing the strikers
spirit to meet the bosses challenge
was systematically sabotaged by
the Textile Council of the United
Textile Workers Union to the point
of an open endorsement of the use
of mounted police yesterday by its
chief official, William E. G. Batty.
Police Terror
In an attempt to dampen the strike
morale, the bosses launched an i'm
mediate police terror of clubbings,
the break up of a parade by vio-
lence and the jailing of the strike
leaders, Beal and Murdoch. The ter
ror eliminated in the mobilization of
several companies of militia to in
form the striking textile workers
that they would be supplied with
sufficient protection if they chose to
enter the mills.
Today, however, not a single
worker walked into any of the mills.
This is frankly admitted not only in
the local press, but even in the tex
tile bosses trade journals.
The manufacturers association
this morning held special meeting
and issued an announcement that the
mills would be kept open "to give
the strikers chance to return"
This the Textile Mills Committee
leaders characterized as "consola-
tion statement"
Picketing Only Effective Weapon
The masses assembled today in
the mill districts were too over
whelming in numbers for an attack
to be launched on the picket lines.
The continued presence of the
militia means but one thing, strike
leaders say. 1t is an open threat of
breaking the strike with violence.
The Textile Mills Committee heads
declare that they intend to begin
the immediate mobilization of many
more thousands for regular picket
duty than have responded even here
tofore.
Especial to The Daily Worker)
NEW BEDFORD, Mass, July 9.
-Today's picket demonstration be-
fore the textile mills is conceded to
be one of the greatest displays of
solidarity ever seen. Even the pol
ice claim no more than 18 scabs as
returning to the mills, after a check
up by the bosses.
The whole city experienced mass
gala holiday. The pickets had on
their best clothes, wearing crimson
roses. Women wore bright shawls
and bright cotton dresses and the
captains orange bands. The picket
ing commenced at five with the
sunrise over the bay.
Before going on the line many
stopped at police stations to pay
respects to mounted troops in tin
hats. Laughter by children and yells
of Barney Google" "Spark Plug"
made the troops uncomfortable.
Over twenty thousand strikers
marched around the gates including
loose lines. Groups across the road
marched around the gates. The larg-
est lines were at the principal mills,