The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-12-30
By MYRA PAGE.
(Continued)


In other words, the UTW offers management
its help in persuading the workers to accept
the stretch-out and other naturalization
schemes-against which the workers have been
protesting so vigorously. In April the U.TW.
finally formulated series of demands for
southern industry, which are: abolition of night
work for women and children, "standardiza-
ton" of wages the forty-eight hour week. and
introduction of naturalization schemes thru
mutual agreement of union and management.
1t is significant that more of these demands
have been pushed by the UT.W. in any of the
southern strike situations under it's direction
Also the omissions in the program are signi-
ficant. There are no demands relating to abol-
tion of child labor in the industry, equalization
of wages for women, and unionization of Ne
gro mill workers on an equal basis with the
whites, with specific demands formulated to
take care of their problems. Form of organ
ization is not discussed, so it may be assumed
that the U.T.W. will continue its policy of
promoting its twenty-one craft bodies, although
craft unionism has shown itself to be an
Anticipated, incompetent form of organization.
Strikes as an organizational weapon are openly
deplored by U.T.W. officials. Each issue of
"The Textile Worker" includes such statements
as eve regret to report that Glanzstoff work
ers of Elizabethton, Tennessee were compelled
to strike, and "There is a strike at Allentown,
which is unfortunate, to say the least Ar
ticles and editorials pointing out the supposed
common interests of labor and capital are
numerous William Green, president of the
A. F. of L., quoted saying, in connec-
ton with U.T.W. activities in the south, "We
do not want to hurt the mills. We want to
help the mills business and everyone" In other
words, the U.T.W. will not attack the mill
owners profits made out of child labor and
overworked, impoverished operatives.
The recent strike at Elizebthton, Ten
nessee, of $500 rayon workers gives in con-
crete form the policy of the u T. w. in deal
ing with strike situations and workers self
initiated unionizng campaigns. Also Elizabeth
ton furnishes another example of southern
workers militancy. The rayon operatives
struck for the repeal of fifteen per cent wage
cut which had been given them sometime previ-
ousy for redress against certain grievances.
and for recognition of their rights of organiza-
ton. The majority of those employed at the
struck plants were women, and there were also
some children as young as twelve who had
worked there. The first day after the walk
out, the strikers entered the mills and brought
out those few who had remained at work.
Immediately the Glanzstoff and Bemberg
plants secured injunction against the strik-
ers, and called in state troops The strikers,
not at all intmidated by the company and state
forces, lined up against them, organized their
picket lines and not man passed those lines
The pickets stood, their rifles with them, as
guardsmen on post. They dug trenches around
the plants and lay in them, ready for action
should action become necessary. Whenever
anyone not probable strike-breaker came
along, every rifle disappeared down trousers
leg or under an apron
For two days an airplane flew hour after
hour over the Glanzstoff plant, within twenty
feet of its roof. Nobody except local leaders
know where that plane came from, who flew
it, or where it went, but everyone felt sure it
was procured by strikers or friends. Ten cases
of dynamite disappeared from the plant prop
erty the first day of the strike. Again, no
outsiders knew where it went but the rumor
was that it was taken away by workmen and
put where no one could use it in such a way
as to blame its use on strikers. \ train load
of strike breakers was stopped This act was
against orders from strike Headquarters, where
the U. T. w had now taken charge and was
attempting to bring the strike to quick con-
cluson. But the strike breakers on the train
did not get into the mill, and theN engineer of
the train, when he learned the facts. said he
would not run his train into the mill yards,
even if it had a clear right of way. Every
where labor's ranks expressed similar solidar-
ity with the strikers.
In the meantime, U. T. w. officials were
successful in bringing the strike to a close.
The settlement agreed upon with the company