Evening star., 1934-07-17
MILL IS STORMED
IN TEXTILE STRIKE
State Wide WaIkout Called
in AIabama-22,000
Will Be Out.
Nv the Associated Press.

Nv The Associated Press.
HUNTSVILLE. Ala. July IT
Strikers stormed the Fletcher Cotton
Mill here today shortly after a State
wide wslkout had been called. and
forced 1t TO be closed
Armed with sticks and clubs, textile
workers swarmed about the plant.
calling 10 the workers within 10 quit
their Jobs Police and special depu-
ties, armed with one machine gun and
hieh-powered rifles. rushed 10 the
scene. but the closing down of the
mill ended the tense situation.
As the day wore on, mills at Annis-
ton, Florence, Jasper and Coroova
we're added to the list Of those closed
by the walkout. and mills closed
reached 20, Employees out we're esti-
mated at more than 10000.
Huntsville Work at Halt.
No trouble was reported in the state
other than that at the Fletcher Mill
here. Closing of that plant reduced
10 zero textile operations in Hunts
vile, largest OF AlabamaS cotton
manufacturing centerS. All six of the
city's mills were out. involving ap-
proximately 5000 workers.
John Dean International represent
ative OF the United Textile Workers
OF America, in charge OF strike head
quarters here, seid today more than
$4,000 workers would be on strike by
3 pm.
Although the strike call was hxed
for 10 am, he explained. many of
the mills would close as shifts today
ended,
Dean said "our reports show more
than 40 mills as certain to walk out
today. More than 5000 men are on
strike here in Huntsville"
Dean issued the strike call last
night. after it had been authorized at
meeting Of delegates from textile
locals in Birmingham Sunday.
Textile workers are demanding a
permanent 30-hour week, a minimum
Of $l2 per week. elimination Of the
"stretch-out' system whereby the
number of looms per employe Is in
creased, restoration of Jobs eliminated
by the "stretch-out" recognition OF
the United Textile Workers of Amer
lea for collective bargaining under the
N. r. A., and reinstatement Of em-
ployes discharged through union ac-
tiyity.
Anticipate No Trouble.
AS the strike became more wide
spread, mill operators in Montgomery,
Selma and other towns In the CEN
trail portion of the State said they
had not been advised Of plans for a
wslkout and anticipated no labor
troubles.
Three hours before the strike hour
was announced last night by Dean.
workers In the AVondale Mills plant
in Birmingham and the Sequoit Mill
at Gadsden walked out.
In Birmingham $50 workers on the
night shift struck. The mill was
closed by plant officials until further
notice and $50 other workers on the
morning shift thus were shut out. A
union official said the walkout was
ordered after the workers had heard
reports the company intended to
close the mill when the night shift
went off last night.
1000 Affected Previously.
In previous walkouts the Dwight
Manufacturing Co at Alabama City
had closed, affecting $500 workers,
and two mills at Guntersviile and Al
bertville were shut down, affecting
500 more persons.
The workers demand a 30-hour
week, pay increases and changed
working conditions.
Dean set up his headquarters here
and said all details of the strike are
to be handled here. There are four
large cotton mills here, employing an
estimated 5000 workers.