The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-05-22
NOT ONE FACTORY
CAN Open Gates;
CAN'T Get SCABS
Bosses Import 100 More
for Police Force
BY TOM O'CONNOR.


NEW BEDFORD, May 21.-With
the army of $4,000 strikers in Sc New
Bedford textile mills standing firm
the strike enters its sixth week to-
day. The tension of the struggle
sharpened Saturday with the entrance
of Albert Weisbord, militant left wing
leader Of the historic Passaic strike.
With the entrance of Weisbord
comes also the news of a force of 100
extra policemen imported from Bos-
ton and other outside cities.
Weisbord has been brought in by
the Textile Mills Committee, the
militant organization which forced the
strike and is now graphing with the
huge job of organizing the $4,000 I'M
organized workers and securing relief
for their families. The strike was
forced on April 16, when the progress
sive group led by Manuel Adao, swept
aside Binns and Batty, the reactionary
leaders of the New Bedford Textile
Council and old Sam Ross, one-time
mule spinner and now member of the
State Board Of Cancellation and Ar
bitration.
Mill Committees Lead.
With but skeleton organization,
the Textile Mill Committee has al
ready done great work. William T.
Murdoch, secretary and organizer, is
carrying the brunt of the work in or
ganizing and addressing huge meet
ings, lining up the workers into the
new rank and file organization. Muir
doch is a young sandy-haired English
man, who worked for years before
coming to America in the Lancashire
cotton mills.
Fred Beale of Lawrence, another
organizer, although young, is already
veteran in the battles between the
textile slaves and the mill barons.
Adao, Portuguese striker, is big
factor in the strike. He is the leader
of thousands of Portuguese, who make
up the bulk of the unorganized work
ers. Adao was leader in the sue
eessful strike of 1912, which preceded
the great Lawrence strike of that
year. Although every other militant
union in New Bedford has been
crushed by the New Bedford textile
bosses, led by Senator Butler, by a
combination of the notorious Sherman
Detective Service and the supine
leadership of the reactionaries in the
New Bedford Textile Council. Adao
has kept his militant group alive. 1t
was Adao acting as the Paul Revere
of the strike, who warned the rank
and file against Binns and Batty and
forced the strike vote to defy the 10
per cent wage cut.
Portuguese Are Fighters.
The Portuguese and French-Canadian
workers, comprising the great bulk
of the unskilled and unorganized
workers, have shown their mettle since
the strike started. These foreign
born workers, although entirely new
to unions, have taken hold with a
will. Crews of collectors sent out for
money and food for relief.
Ann w. Grafton of New York is in
charge of the relief work for the
Workers International Relief, whose
head is Fred Biedenkamp. While
Biedenkamp is addressing meetings
and organizing collection crews, Miss
Grafton handles the actual work at the
relief stations. In the south end, the
relief station is at 80 Potomska St.,
near the meeting hall of the Textile
Mills Committee; and in the north
end it is at 81 Hathaway Street.
Relief Work.
A regular supply of fish, is assured
by the strikers. Crews of fishermen
have been organized. Last week the
crews went out into Massachusetts
Bay and brought back 5000 pounds
of cod The strikers have shown 6
wonderful spirit of initiative and self.
reliance in the struggle.
The children Of the strikers are
filled with the militant spirit. They
are being organized by Elizabeth
Donneley, of the w. /. r. Hundreds
of them have gone on the picket lines
parading and singing strike songs.
The new police chief, Mcleod, ap
peared at the Page Mill Saturday
morning with two automobile loads Of