Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1934-09-14
The Strike: Its Cause and Effect

If the present strike affected only those who are out on strike
and the cotton mills, it would be bad enough.
They are not suffering alone. The entire country is suffering.
Business is paralyzed.
Innocent women and children art suffering through no fault of
their own. -
Merchants, farmers, garage men, filling station employees, milk
men, truck growers, lawyers, doctors, dentists, clerks-every class
of people is being unjustly punished by the cruel effects of the
strike.
The tie-up in the cotton mill business has put a stop to all the
orderly processes of business. We, the citizens of the state, have
to sit idly by and see nothing done to stop it, we, who are in
nocent, muse suffer with the guilty.
Who is responsible for this strike? If the Blue Eagle has been
50 al-powerful, heretofore, why doesn't the Blue Eagle do some
thing about it?
If the mill operators are not living up to the provisions of
their code, why doesn't the Blue Eagle make them live up to it?
If the operators are adhering to the provisions of the code, what
justification is there for the strike?
If the Blue Eagle can prescribe working conditions and scales
of wages why can it not also control situations of this nature?
Carl Goerch, of The State, popular North Carolina magazine,
asks these questions as the headliner in a front page article in the
current issue of his magazine, citing the suffering and demoraliza-
ton that is resulting from the ill-timed textile strike in North
Carolina. He goes O. to say:
"North Caroina's efforts to pull herself out of the depression
and once more enjoy the fruits of prosperity are being threatened
by the textile strike which went into effect this week.
Farmers, who expected record prices for their cotton and other
crops, are liable to be grievoudy disappointed.
Business, which was definitely on the upgrade, is slowing up
in marked fashion.
Unemployment, which was largely being done away with, is
raising its ugly head once more.
Confidence in the future is being replaced by suspicion, dis
trust, bitterness and hatred. The friendly relationship which
existed between employer and employe is vanishing into thin air.
And we-the people of North Carolina-have got to stand
by and watch a comparatively small group of individuals undo
all of the constructive work that has been done along economic
lines during the past year,,
cit is the most uncaIed-for situation that possibly could have
been brought to pass.
This article does not attempt to place the blame. Responsible
ty for existing conditions may rest upon the shoulders of the mill
operators. Or, the fault may lie with the workers. All this is
beside the point. The one outstanding factor about the entire
situation is that the textile strike had no business taking place.
1.-The textile industry was the first to adopt a code of its own.
That code specified certain details about wages and labor. If the
mills re not living up to those conditions, why doesn't the gov
eminent step in and make them live up to them?
IF the owners are living up to those conditions, what justitl-
cation have the men for walking out?
Last year the government stepped in and prescribed regula-
tons for all lines of business. A scale of price was established for
various commodities manufactured in various sections of the
country. Employers of labor were told specifically how long they
might keep their mills open and how many shifts they could
work daily. Similar restrictions were placed upon all lines of re-
tail business. Word was sent out that 100 per cent cooperation
was imperative. .....
eff the government had authority to go that far, then the
government also has authority for dealing with a situation like
the one which has developed in the textile industry.
"Those are straightforward facts, without any pussyfooting.
absolutely nothing will be gained by the strike. The mill
every other citizen in North Carolina.
And that is where the real injustice comes in. If the effects
of the strike could be confined to the employers and employees of
the textile industry alone, it wouldn't be so bad. But such is not
the case. The agricultural and business interests of the state will
be vitality affected. So will the welfare of almost every individual.
And all we can do is watch the situation develop from bad to
worse.
Regardless of what issues ri involved in a matter of this
nature, no small group of men should be granted the power to
undermine the well-being of the rest of our citizenry. '0Gastonia
Gazette.