Evening star., 1935-07-19
DEFIANT WOMEN
KEPT ON PICKET
DUTY BY MAYOR
Alexandria Executive Re-
fuses Factory Managers
Plea for lntercession.
WOULD CLOSE PLANT
IN CASE OF DISORDER
Labor Department Asked to Send
Conciliator as Strike
Troubles Increase.
rcorr.snond.nt of The Star

ey a staff Correspondent of The Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, July 19.-After
Morris Weinman, shirt factory oper-
ator, called police to chase away girl
strikers on picket duty at the plant
this morning, Mayor Emmett c. Davi-
sen arrived on the strike scene to in
struct the women to continue their
picketing.
One policeman arrived, but did not
interfere with the picket guards.
Personally taking a hand in the
strike, which has been in progress
since Monday, Mayor Dawson said he
will have the city close the plant If a
disturbing situation" is created and
requested the Department of Labor to
send a representative to the strike
scene.
The Cancellation Service of the
Labor Department announced late
this morning that it had Mayor Davi-
sons request under consideration, but
had reached no decision. If sent. the
representative would attempt to bring
about an agreement between the COM
rany and the strikers, an official of
the Labor Department said
Question of Legality.
Asked if there was law to permit
closing of the plant. Alexandrias chief
magistrate, who is secretary of the
International Machinists' Union, said.
I'VE will find that out afterward."
Dawson said he came to the plant
today because he had been informed
the company would attempt to bring
in outside interferers. None appeared.
He informed the strikers they had
rights as citizens to congregate at
the plant, and assured them that
police would not interfere with their
pickets
Weinman. who lives in Baltimore,
was jeered by the strikers as he came
out of the plant to his automobile. He
drove off in hurry after stating that
he would not attempt to operate the
plant today.
Seven woman operators who went
to work at the plant yesterday after
noon after strike guards had aban-
doned their picket duty in the hot
sun. were outside the plant at 7:30
am. today. but made no attempt to
force their way through the picket
lines. which had already been organ
lied by 80 of the girl strikers.
Statement Is Denied.
Dawson denied a statement made
yesterday by j. T. Ballard, plant for
man, to the effect that competition
with prison labor had caused the
company's wage cuts. The mayor said
the State is prohibited by law from
making commercial contracts for
prison labor products
Dawson today reiterated his offer
of giving the strikers recourse to the
city's relief rolls. rather than have
them go back to starvation wages
The situation is that you can get
practically the same pay on relief rolls
that you can make by working at the
plant" the city head told group of
the strikers this morning.
Miss Virginia Lowry, second strike
organizer sent here from Baltimore by
the Amalgamated Clothing Workers
Union, took charge of the strike today
and instructed the picket guards 10
keep all workers out of the plant.
we will keep picket guards on duty
all day today" she said.
Operator Is Reticent.
Weinmsn refused to discuss the
causes for the strike by repeating. Il
have no statement to make" to prac-
ticaliy every question.
The strikers cite a reduction in
piecework wages from As cents to IS
cents per 100 pieces as the cause of
their walkout Monday. They had pre-
viously been changed from an N. R.
A. schedule of 80 cents an hour to
the piecework arrangement they said.
approximately so woman operators
on the strike had joined the earlier
picket guards at a late hour this
morning. They are planning to con-
tinue the picketing in shifts.