The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-09-07
Mills Shut Quickly
In New England
Continued from Page y
BY CARL REEVE

out voluntarily and that 90 per cent
were. "intimidated." But every
worker in New England knows that
the general textile strike in New
England is now aid-tight because
they themselves carried on huge
mass picket lines.
In Fall River last night tear gas
was again thrown at a crowd of
thousands Of pickets in front of the
Sycamore Mil. But the workers
closed the mill and every other Fall
River mill. Auto squads of pickets
were hopping up the few smaller
mills today which remained at work,
the strikers sending pickets from
the plants already struck.
In Lowell the strikers formed a
united front of the U. T. w. and
members of the independent union,
the Textile Workers Protective
Union, the urge of the workers for
unity inducing the officials to hold
joint meetings. The workers merged
on the picket lines, members Of both
unions picketing together.
But the officials of the Protec-
tive furthered the red scare" by
attacking Communists, J. O'Sullivan,
attorney for the union, declaring
that the unions charter forbids
harboring Communists in its ranks.
This union claims 1000 members.
In Lawrence, I toured the giant
American Wooden Mills, huge brick
fortresses. Workers told me today
that far less than half of the
wooden workers are now at work.
Only about 5000 out of approx
mately 10000 wooden workers are at
work in Lawrence. The spinning
and other rooms are working with
skeleton forces.
Unless the company changes sud-
denly its announced schedules the
mills are to begin a two weeks shut
down tomorrow night. This af-
fected the strike here, the workers
feeling that since the shutdown be-
gins tomorrow they would not come
out for the few working days. How
ever, a well organized and con-
certed drive would strike Lawrence
especially, since all other wooden
mills are out now.
Speeches of such U. T. w. leaders
as Batty, Sylvia, etc, are convincing
evidence that these officials were
expecting the Roosevelt move for
investigation" and have been lay
ing the basis for a back-to-work
move via this route. They concen-
trate on praise and Qualification of
Roosevelt in speeches, attempting
to create the feeling that Roosevelt
opposes bad manufacturers. They
continue with the red scare" IN
order to be able to break down the
organized demand for strike until
victory is won.
Many workers / talked to feel
that the main demand of the
strike should be a demand for in
creased wages, especially increased
wages for unskilled. They favor
raising of the minimum wage of
all textile workers before the
strike is settled.
They point out that the U. T. w.
officials now leading the strike ac-
cepted the low minimum wage now
in the code, and actually helped to
write the code as members of the
N. R. A. boards. They point out
that these U. T. w. leaders have
failed to put forward the demand
for increased wage minimum. This
is a basic demand, and starvation
wages is what really brought them
on strike, coupled, Of course, with
the killing stretch-out.
In Burlington, VT, Mayor James
Burke issued an order prohibiting
all outdoor meetings.
The benevolent" employers who
now after everyone is obviously on
strike declare they close the mills
down to protect loyal employees"
only yesterday asked Governor Ely
to call out the National Guard in
Massac husetts. This request was
contained in a telegram to Ely from
Frank Carpenter, secretary of the
Cotton Manufacturers Association,
who asked for protection" against
crowds of hoodlums," as he termed
the strikers. He said, IF the help
were given assurance that they
would not be physically injured or
molested it is our opinion that the
mills could easily continue to run"
Since under Massachusetts law only
Ely can call out the National Guard,
this telegram was considered as a
request for troops. But it was not
granted, the employers now turn
ing to Roosevelt to end the strike.
The walkout Of thousands in
Rhode Island makes the strike ef-
fective in this center, where two
days ago 1t was a weak point.
Tho New England press is playing
up Governor Winant, one of Roose-
velt's board, as a friend of labor"
in order 10 make it easier for him
to send the strikers back before
winning their demands.
A picket line of more than 5000
shut down the Shawmut Mill at
Lowell yesterday.
1900 Out in Boston
BOSTON, Mass, Sept. 6.-About
1900 textile workers came out on
strike here yesterday with about
4 fr1ts