The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-09-03
FEAR STRIFE IMMINENT
AS 100000 PREPARE TO
PICKET TEXTILE PLANTS
Pitched Battles Predicted in
South; Peace Moves
at StandStiIl.
IS. CAROLINA TROOPS OUT
Strike May Drag On for
Weeks, Is Belief of
Labor Experts.
Copyright, 1884. by United Press


WASHINGTON, Sept. s.
Americas first nationwide
strike made this Labor day
the grimmest in the country's
history.
More than 100000 work.
ers in cotton, WOODEN, worSted
silk, and rayon plants were
involved in this biggest walk
out yet to plague the New
Deal.
Leaders said 10000 more in the
velvet, drapery, underwear and
synthetic yarn mills would be
carrying labor's defiant banners be-
fore next weekend.
Strife was imminent. Pitched
battles we're predicted. Troops were
called out in South Carolina. Tex
tile chieftainS denounced union
leaders-and vice versa.
Governmental peace overtures
were at a standstill. Japanese and
British interests hoped to pounce
upon American textile markets. The
relief burden was magnified.
Unless the walkout is settled at
once, labor experts sale it might
drag on for weeks, and with an
ever-increasing circle of misery in
it's wake.
Prepare for Picketing
At crack of dawn today in many
a mill town workers prepared to
picket the factories. Up and down
the Atlantic seaboard the workers
we're called to hundreds of mass
meetings. Organizers intended to
whip their enthusiasm to fever
pitch.
Southern mill towns particularly
were tense. There Labor day is not
widely observed and many tex
tile plant planned to operate as
usual Minor clashes limited at
what apparently was to come.
Francis j. German, chairman or
the strike committee of the United
Textile Workers, stood by in his
headquarters here, scanning re-
ports from the field
The textile industry will be Grip
pied by Wednesday," he predicted.
"Eighty-five to 80 per cent of the
mills will be closed by the end of
the week. We expect the nonunion
workers to follow union members
in the walkout."
Mr.. German denounced Com
munists. He said they were begin
ming their dirty work"
IndustriaIist Is Bitter
Mr.. German conferred at length
with Peter Van Horn, president of
the Silk Institute After the con-
ference Mr.. German issued a nom
commital statement. Not so Mr..
Van Horn. His utterances were Bit
ter. He said:
What the labor leaders really
want beyond everything else in this
strike is to increase their members
and to gain recognition for their
union.
1T was my distinct impression
that the strike committee was turn
ing its back almost completely on
the NRA.
THE entire method Of attack by
the labor leaders in calling this
;rike is not only one against the
industry, but contrary to the plan
set up through the President by our
government.
Il want to urge every worker in
the mills operating under the silk
code to seriously consider standing
by his employer and 1 personally
promise to these loyal workers that
l will do everything possible TO inn
prove their working conditions"
German Gives His Story
Mr.. German set forth his side Of
the story in a radio address. He
said:
The history of American textiles
is the history Of paying insufficient
wages, and of ruthless competition
among mill owners who cut prices
Of products but pay dividends by
taking them out of the life and
wages of their mill hands.
I'VE stand ready to give battle as
never before for the right to live,
the right to work decently, the right
to have decent American homes for
our wives and children, and soma
measure of security for all of us"
He said the strikers would give no
quarter until their hours are cut to
thirty week, without wage reduc-
tons, until the "stretchout" is elm
mated, until the union is recognized
as the industry's labor bargaining
agency and until permanent board