The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-12-27
SOUTHERN COTTON MILLS
AND LABOR

ton OF the rank AMI file membership within
the U.TW., against the officialdom's failure
to organize the American textile workers and
lead them in struggles for their rights, Its
policies Of craft unionism and cooperation with
the employers, its fight against all militant
action, ard its attacks on Communists and
lcft-wiaGcrs within the union) The response
OF southern workers to the N. T. W. was I'M
mediate Mill committees were formed in
various plants throughout the Carolinas, and
plans were made TO extend organization
throughout the section. The union set forth
it's program Of concrete demands, including
union recognition, opposition to the stretch
out and all Srceding-up systems wage increases
nth minimum standard set at twenty dollars
a week, the forty-hour, fiye-day week, equal
pay for equal work. and elimination of all child
labor. 1t also clearly defined its policy as one
of class struggle and racial and international
labor solidarity. On this basis a score of To-
Gals swere quietly established. The readiness
of southern mill hands to unionize and struggle
for better standard of living proved to be
so great e}at the young union soon found its
forces severely taxed to meet all the calls for
organizational help which it received
The mill owners, learning of this union cam
paign, Immediately undertook to destroy it.
Spies became active and union worlSmen were
fired end turned out of their company dwell
lngs. In Loray mill, at Gastonia, N. c., the
discharge of six men and women led to a
strike on April first, 1929, of its approximately
1000 operatives. The bulk of these, both
white and colored joined the N. I. W., and
proceeded to organize into strong local. I'M
mediately the company placed a wire around
the mill and called in state troops. Mass picket
lines although peaceful, were charged by police
and troops and many arrests were made. Credit
off ri fha rilrerS nd OH
threatened with eviction. The National Textile
Workers and the Communist Party at once
began to rally all their forces in support of
the strike The Workers International Relief,
a sympathetic organization, cooperated with
the union in establishing a relief station where
food supplies, medicine and clothing were sup
piled to strikers families. international La
Dor Defense took over the legal defense of ar
rested workers, while the Daily Worker carried
on the fit through its press. Meanwhile the
company proceeded to evict strikers families
and throw their belongings into the street. No
consideration was shown to i'll persons or preg-
nant women. tent colony was then built
by the w l. R. and playground for workers
children was established. Local union mem
bers. Of ! 3cxes and all ages, took an active
part in all phases of work. Mill workers in
other cent ~@gerly gave assistance, while
many poor farmers contributed to relief sup
plies, an, militant labor throughout the country
and abroad rallied to the Loray strikers sup
port However, efforts to spread the strike
over wide tory were only partially sue
cessful, for the Loray revolt came before the
ground for widespread walkout in southern
cotton mills had been fully prepared.
A masked mob, serving company interests,
wrecked the relief station, throwing milk in
tended for strikers babies and other food sup
Mic into +bo ha w
organizing another relief station in the tent
colony and placing an armed guard there to
protect against future outrages. Police activity
became Intensified, while local newspapers I'M
der company direction, heaped abuse upon the
Communicated union and the local strikers.
There were rumors of plans to lynch strike
leaders, and to wreck union headquarters.
Yet, in spite of company provocation and
their own tradition for direct action, the strik
ers followed the counsel of union leadership
and refused to be exasperated into acts of
violence Some weeks of struggle and great
hardship followed. Management imported
workers from outside, but when these recruits
learned what was going on at Loray they also
prepared to strike. This made the company
desperate. Following numerous threats, local
police attempted to force an entrance into the
relief center, and in the conflict between them
and union guards which followed, a union or
ganizer and three policemen were wounded
and Gastonias chief of police was killed. This
gave Manville-Jenckes and Company the oppor-
tunity for which they had been seeking-an
excuse for eliminating union leadership. Four
score workers were arrested, and fifteen of
them, including both national and local leaders,
were indicted for murder. Among them were
many who were not even in Gastonia on the
night when the fighting occurred! Thus opens
hon. cha mr. in fro
labor leaders who have dared to urge workers
to revolt against intolerable conditions.
(To, Be Contin,eD