Evening star., 1934-09-02
LAST PEACE MOVE
FAILS IN WALKOUT
Strike in Effect Today With
Tension Mounting in
Mill Towns
Continued From First Page.)

workers are slugged by hired thugs
they are advised to slug back"
The Strike Committee sent tele-
grams to the Governors of % States.
asking protection from either the
forces Of employers or by the in
sidious and disruptive forces of Com
munism."
Strike leaders scattered to direct
mass meetings today and Labor day.
German will broadcast a message 10
all workers at l pm. today and his
address will be received at the Char
lotte gathering, which he originally
planned to attend.
Silk Step Unexpected.
The workers have been organized
In near military manner, divided into
squads of 10, each under a captain
whose responsibility is to maintain
disciplined restraint under provoca-
ton"
Claims of manufacturers and strike
leaders as to the extent of the strike
were at sharp variance. Mill owners
predicted few workers would leave
the mills, the union asserted that mot
O wheel will turn"
The decision to call out some 150.-
900 silk workers was somewhat unex-
pected. Peter Van Horn, chairman
of the silk code authority, sent word
he would confer here Tuesday with
German and members of the Strike
in
terpreted as a possibility Of laying
groundwork for negotiations in that
industry at least.
German UnSatiSfied.
AS for the other branches, George
A. Sloan, head of the Cotton Textile
Institute, and Arthur Besse, chair
man of the wool code authority, both
had refused fatty to send representa-
tives to meet with the union.
German explained, however, that
the union was not satisfied with Van
Horns telegram.
He was coming here in his Of
flcial position as chairman of the
code authority" German said. 1--WE
have insisted We would not deal with
code authorities, but wanted to talk
with representative employers. He
said nothing of bringing committee
of manufacturers, and when we tried
TO reach him we were told he was
in the Maine woods"
Picketing on a huge scale was con-
templated. 1t already has been
started in those communities where
workers left mills before the actual
hour of strike. The situation was
made more critical by reports of in
tense Communistic activity in New
England and the silk centers in New
Jersey.
Unions At Odds.
The United Textile Workers have
refused to have anything to do with
the National Textile Workers Union,
allegedly a Communist organization.
The Strike Committee has issued
orders to all U. T. W. members to
stamp out Communism wherever it
rears its head"
German appeared somewhat taken
aback by reports that silk manufac-
turers in Paterson, N. j., had served
an ultimatum that they would never
sign another union agreement If the
strike took place.
"I interviewed the Paterson silk
manufacturers few weeks ago." Cor
man said, land its members agreed
with me that strike was the only
means of bringing about stabilization
of the industry. At that time they
indicated they would support us.
poT1sf 1TT1darSfoT III fhniT cfo H1If
feel confident there has been mis-
understanding that can be cleared up"
German said the New Jersey silk
manufacturers we're anxious to see
wages lifted in the competing silk CEN
ters in the South.
Doubt remained as to the actual
number of workers that would respond
to the strike call. Union leaders pre-
dicted complete tie-up of the indus
try, with thousands of non-union
workers participating.
Monday to Tell Story.
The first indication as to the ex-
tent Of the strike will be seen on Mon
day. The South does not observe
Labor day and most mills have ar
ranged to operate. The Nation, and
particularly New England's textile
centers, will watch closely reports from
Southern mill centers when mill gates
are thrown open Monday morning.
Organized labor, headed by Presi-
dent William Green of the American
Federation Of Labor, rallied behind
the textile workers. Privately it was
said in these quarters that the present
situation probably would mean a show
down on two issues vital to labor-the
possibility of forcing code amendment
by strike and the policy of Federal
relief for strikers.
Appeal to Veterans.
In its campaign to enlist public
opinion behind the strike the union
committee sent kilograms to the heads
of the American Legion and the Vet
Grams of Foreign Wars, listing griev-
ances and asserting I'VE believe the
splendid and sympathetic understand
ing on the part of your organization
will not fail in this critical situation"
1t is generally agreed that the strike
situation will test the strike policy of
the Emergency Relief Administration.
The F. E. r. A. has faced mounting
criticism from induStrialistS for its
announced policy that needy strikers
would be fed unless the Labor Depart
ment found the walkout unjustified.
The attack on the relief admins
tration policy was intensified Friday
night when Henry I. Hartman. presi-
dent of the Chamber of Commerce of
the United States, declared policies
Of the Federal Government should not
be such as to encourage strikes and
industrial unrest"