The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-05-07
BY MAC HARRIS.

THE silk industry affords a good example of
the economic decay of capitalist operation
Competition amongst individual silk operators
has led to the utilization of additional ration
alization methods within the industry These
naturalization methods are best examplified in
the present wage cuts, heightened hours and
Speed-up methods practced upon the workers
These methods in turn have played havoc with
the living standards of the workers. The dimin-
ished purchasing power of the average worker,
brought about by the existing economic crisis
of capitalism, has produced a situation where
there is no circulation of silk goods thereby
adding further stagnancy to the market. The
silk industry being luxury industry the work
ers. diminished purchasing power is further
reflected by the fact that the worker cannot af-
ford any luxury and must utilize his meagre
earnings to obtain the bare necessities Of life.
1t is this situation which has led the silk opera
tors to speak of Sterilization of industry" What
they mean by this sterilization" is best fore
seen by the prevailing situation in the silk in
dustry of Allentown.
Approximately 40 mills employing 1000 workers
are located in this silk industrial center. The
wages of the more skilled workers. in the So
called prosperity period" we're anywhere from
$50 to 500 per week. Unskilled labor or learners
would receive from S18 to $50 per week Now
we have situation where continuous wage slash
es have reduced the earning power of the work
ers to the following conditions: expert weavers
receive So per week for common cloth and $40
on crepe, and at the same time are forced to
operate from four to six looms Within the
past two years wages have been cut from Is to
over SO per cent Part time work and the emu
merated conditions. imposed by the silk oper-
ators have produced a situation where the most
skilled workers earning an average Of $12 to
us per week.
III Another Cut
The Majestic Mill, employing 200 workers, cir
culated notice two weeks ago that the wages
OF the weavers would be cut sixteen and two
thirds per cent. The workers Immediately re-
sponded with a walk-out The mill then tried
to shift its work to the Maxwell Mill. The work
ers of this mill Immediately showed their solidar-
ity by striking against the attempt Of the mill
owners to force them to scab on their fellow
workers. This strike was also against recent
IL per cent wage cut.
Strike sentiment Immediately spread to other
mills where the workers had received wage cuts
The next to follow were the Sontag Mill with
200 walking out, Greenleaf Silk, where a per
cent cut had been instituted with an additional
one-haf to three-quarters of a cent added;
Highgrade Mill with one and one-quarter cent
cut. 240 workers going out and the Iowa Silk
Mill Corp. The workers OF the Adelaide Silk
Co. annex Largest mill in town. received wages
ranging from sl4 for common cloth and 500
for crepe. handling from four to six looms; 225
workers walked out of this mill At the present
writing there are approximately 10 mills on
strike, involving total of 1000 workers Senti-
ment is rapidly spreading amongst the rank and
file workers for general strike throughout the
industry.
The present strike situation is an expression
of the militancy of the workers. 1t is an answer
10 the silk operators. who have attempted to