The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-04-26
BY EDWARD w. LEWIS
United Press staff Correspondent
,r-l.-.-f5.Nt 1920 by United Press

ATLANTA, Ga. April 26.-Streets
of group Of mill towns IN the
Carolinas and the Happy Valley
section of western Tennessee are
filed today with lineal descendants
ct Americas earliest settlers, stern,
thin men and women out on strike.
The 10000 or more strikers
fathers. mothers, daughters, sons IN
many instances, are all capable OF
earning wages. worked in the mills
-represent in race the proudest and
most independent stock Of native
americans. who settled in the Caro-
Isnas and Appalachian highlands in
colonial days.
The strikes have followed a social
phenomena in present day Amer
lean life.
Came Down From Hills
During the past two. years, a
period that marked the amazing
movement of industry into the
south. there came down from the
mountains and out from the farms,
men and women and their families
whose ancestors had lived the rigid
independent lives of country folk.
They were lured by wages offered
at the new mills.
At more than 400 great textile
plants they found work.
Such a wage as $15 a week looked
fabulous after the bare living eKed
from barren soil.
The present strikes mark the tirSt
reaction, the first concerted evidence
of discomfort. that they have shown.
since they changed their mode OIL
living.
Where they had expected TO grow
rich. strikers claim they found
themselves exploited.
Trapped in Poverty
Where they had expected to live
in houses with running water, re-
ceive the advantages OF city dwell
ers. strikers claim they found them
selves contracting sickness, unable
to send their children to school be-
cause of their poverty and unable to
earn in some instances a living
wage.
Mill owners have denied the ex-
ploitation. They claim that where
poverty has existed, the worker was
at fault
one prominent textile manufac-
turer. who himself rose from the
ranks. explained his resistance to
strike demands, thus;
Suppose you were employer OF a
man who you were paying $5 day.
Suppose further that he, OF his own
yoIition. would work but three days
q week so that his weekly wage
amounted TO SIS. Then suppose he
came to YOU and demanded a raise
on the grounds that he was unable
to support his family on SIS a week.
Shiftless. Say Operators
Raise? You would tell him that
If he could work a full week he
could double his own income and
unless he showed full disposition to
better his own conditions, through
his own efforts, you would have lit
tie sympathy for him
The average striking operative,
like his forebearS, is an individual
list. Some of his ancestors settled
their difficulties with the rifle.
But. as they turned from the
plow to the loom, many have turned
to organization TO settle their diff
CultieS.
Whether the labor troubles are
the result Of union organizers agi-
tation still is a disputed question.
Strikers have claimed they saw
in the unions the only salvation
from their conditions. Recognition
of the National Textile Workers
union in North Carolina and the
United Textile Workers union at
FHzabethton. Tenn. is the basic de-
mand of strikers In South Caro-
lima. several thousand workers, un-
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