The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-09-06
YOUNG WORKERS
FROM MILLS
DOWN POLICIES
Child Labor Delegate
Reports

=
full step towards the organization of
the youth in the textile industry.
At this conference there were 81
delegates, representing 25 mills, in
which $4,000 textile workers are
working for the most miserable
wages. Twenty-Five to thirty per
cent are young workers.
There were representatives from
Fall River, New Bedford Lawrence,
Rhode Island, Revere and Maiden
knitting mills. The bulk of the
delegation were from New Bedford
and Fall River. Due to the bitter
struggle that is being carried on in
New Bedford and the beginning of
an intensive fight against the mill
owners in Fall River the young
workers are beginning to under
stand the class struggle ard the
need for organization, and this was
pointed out by the report of the
T. M. G. organizer, Keller.
The conference was a very con-
structive one, Very little time was
spent by all the reporters and par
ticipators in discussion in general
izing things. Analysis of local sit
nations and concrete proposals to
start work were discussed and plans
laid for further activity.
Keller Reports.
Keller, the first and general re-
porter on the T. M. C. and strike
leader, reported on the situation in
the textile striking regions and the
betraying role of the Batty crowd.
He further pointed out the role of
the T. M. G. and youth activity in
the T. M. c. and in the strike. At
the end he called upon the confer
ence to send delegates to the Ma
tional Convention to form new
National Textile Union, which is to
be held September %, 1928.
Edith Slaff, youth organizer in
the textile industry. reported on the
youth in the textile industry and
the need of the youth to organize
and fight side by side with the
adults to organize and improve their
conditions.
E. Donelly reported on child la
Dor in the textile industry. She
pointed out the relation of the ex-
ploitation of child labor and public
school education. At the end she
called upon the youth conference to
help to organize the children and
win them for the working class.
VIM, fraternal DELEGATE of the
Dung Workers (Communist)
League, pointed out the role Of the
young worker in the struggle against
capitalism, with all it's educational
and military institutions. ITe prom
ised 100 per cent assistance from
the League to organize the youth
and make soldiers of the working
class. In conclusion, he analysed
the program and the aim of tho con-
ference, and then the main thing
to carry on the work after the dele
gates return to where they came
from.
Terrible Conditions.
Very interesting were the reports
of the young textile delegates. You
could notice the exploitation and
speed-up system of the youth in
the textile industry, the low wages,
long hours, speed-up system ard
work in danger, expecting to get
injured any minute from certain
machines.
A child labor delegate of F. R,
told of the wages the children get
and how early they have to come
in. At the end he told the delegate
that he is a member of the T. M.
c. and that he is going to get all
the children from his department
into the union. The reports and dis
cussions were typical, interviewer
with anxiety to find solution.
Spontaneous desire from the dele
gates to discuss and report on the
conditions in their mills was sllr-
prising one. Every delegate wanted
to speak and this proves the awsk-
cning Of the youth in the textile in
dustry.
Resolutions were passed on the
organization of the unoreanized
youth, on Porter on the youth de-
mands, on textiles. on the new
union and on child labor.
What can we learn from the con-
ference? First of all it is clear
that the struggle in the textile in
dustry against the low wages and
the speed-up system has created g
basis to organize and mobilize the
youth AGAINST the mill owners fo1
organization and improvements ir
conditions. Secondly. it demon
stratcd quite clearly that Tho exist.
ing union IN the textile industry
not only failed 10 recognize the
necessity to or~ani7e tho entire in
dustry. but delibe~atnlv IGNORED th'
mass of unor9anized textile work
ers. among whom there arc thou
sands Of Young textile workers, ir
the most favorable situation
1t is important to note that fol
the last five months Of bitter struo.
gle in New Bedford the youth
played very important and mill
tart role.
The A. F. of l.. hos never at.
tempted and never will ettempt &c