The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-31
BY LAURA LOU BROOKMAN
NEA Service STAFF Writer

BY LAURA LOU BROOKMAN
NEA Service STAFF Writer
CLEVELAND, Aug. 31-Spend six
hours in a southern textile mill
town trying to talk to mill workers
in friendly, impartial way about
their problems and you may find
like I did-that your every move is
being checked carefully.
The names of the persons you
have talked with will have reached
the general manager of the mill.
Perhaps, like myself, you will be
accused of being a labor organ
izer"-and therefore subject to sus-
picion.
I made my visit because I wanted
to write a newspaper novel about a
girl worker in textile mill wanted
to see a mill town, find out how mill
workers live, collect color and
BACKGROUND" for my story.
Within six hours, mill agents we're
trailing me.
Union Leader Fired
In this town of 10000 the. one
big company employs 1000 men and
women in it's mill. The mill works
three shifts of seven and. one-half
hours each. There is a mill vii
lage," rows and rows of small
wooden houses just outside the mill.
These dwellings do not supply
enough room for all the workers,
though, and many of them live a
mile away in the center of the town.
There is a dormitory, owned by the
company, housing about sixty girls.
I needed a starting place, some
way to boone acquainted with these
strangers. 1 had obtained the name
of man I understood was presi-
dent of the textile workers union
there.
I found him in the town proper
mo" he said. Il haven't worked
since the company found out we'd
organized tn union. Sure, I'll take
you around to talk to any one you
want to talk to-"
We went to the girls dormitory
Can I arrange to spend the night
here?" I asked the matron.
She said she'd be glad to have me
if I could get permission from the
general manager of the mill.
you're in Bad Company"
But I couldn't spend night in
the dormitory, the general manager
said. No one could be permitted to
do that.
Suddenly the general manager
asked crisply, will you tell me why
you're running around with--?"
(Naming the ex-gate keeper0
81 don't know any one else here"
"Well, you're in bad company"
Before I could reply, came the next
question. You're sure you're not
affiliated with the American FEEDER
alton of Labor?"
mo"
The general manager agreed to
show me through the mill. Now"
he said as left, "you may talk to
/ the girls as much as you want to
/ but it must be outside the mill"
1 went back to the dormitory that
night but 1 was not given an oppor-
tunity to talk to any Of the girls. I
! went for a drive on the beautiful,
moon-lit mountain roads A car
/ followed-the car of the man who
had informed the general manager
about my visit with the young man
who had been discharged
Talks With Workers
1 talked to many mill workers
men and women-but after 1 dis
covered was being followed and
watched I did not talk to any more.
Those mill workers have enough
! troubles without my making it any
| harder for them.
What are they saying, what are
they thinking about the threatened
textile strike? Here are some an
sWers:
An old man-cheeks sunken, gray
hair thinned to a fringe-shakes his
head. Il amt never joined union
I thought I'd just go my way. But
of course, if there's a strike, III
/ have to go with the rest"
An alert, bright-eyed young wo-
man of %. wearing a skinny, cheap
/ cotton dress, her nails brightly
| enameled, says, Were not afraid.
/ There isn't anything more they can
/ do to us than they have done" Her
wages have been reduced from $50
week to the government mini
| mum, S13. She says it is because she
is suspected of belonging to the
union.
Girls Are Afraid
/ A young man who leans forward
eagerly as he speaks. He's been out
of work for several months. There
was a meeting one night" he said,
''to organize a union. Seven men
were there The next day six Of US
were fired. Of course, we know the
other was a stool pigeon. We're
doing things differently now: We
have meetings but they are secret.
The girls are more afraid than the
men"
Yes, the girls are afraid. They are
afraid of losing their jobs; afraid
of being put on the dreaded 3 p. m.
to 1920 p. m. shift; afraid that
when their two weeks pay envelope
is received there will be deductions
for taking six minutes instead Of
five in going to and from wash
rooms, or for speaking to fellow
worker as much as once during
working hours.
They are afraid the girl who
works next to them or whom they
sit beside at lunch may be a COM
pany agent and will repeat or de-
nberately misquote what they say.
Men are afraid, too. Especially
u.