Evening star., 1937-03-19
clio. OPENSDR|VE
IN TEXTILE TRADE
Campaign Gets Under Way
to Unionize 1,250,00O
Workers in Industry.
sy the Associated Press

by the Associated Press.
The launching of a unionization
drive among 1,25Oo00 textile workers
shared attention today on the Nations
Industrial front with the impending
crisis in Michigan's major automotive
strike.
A meeting III New York today of the
Textile Workers Organizing Commit
tee signalized the beginning of the
campaign ordered by the Committee
for Industrial Organization.
Labor leaders said the decision of
textile firms to raise wages for more
than $1,000 workers in Virginia. the
Carolinas and Georgia and $4,000 in
New England will not deter them from
organizauonal activities. Among the
obieCtives were a minimum wage Of
$l8 weekly and 35-hour week.
Wage Boosts Announced.
Wage increases for 25 600 New Eng
land textile workers we're announced
today, boosting to $4,000 the number
Of textile employees in that section
given raises within the past "a hours.
Less than - hours after New Eng
land cotton mills made known plans
to raise wages 10 per cent, seven
large WoOlen mills in Lawrence. Mass.
one of the largest textile Centers in
the East and the proposed focal point
for a drive by the c. L O.-dlsclosed
workers would get fatter envelopes
effective March 90
approximately 10000 to $4,000
operatives IN the Wood, Aver Shaw
sheen and Washington mills Of the
American Woolen Co, in Lawrence
we're informed this morning a 10 per
cent increase for hour and piece rate
work would be granted,
At the same time a similar an
rouncement was made at the Arling-
ton mills, which employ $500.
The worsted division of the Pacific
mills. with about 4,5O0 workers, an
rounced an upward revision of wages,
but did not give the amount of the
increase.
Manufacturers Tense.
Meanwhile, many New England
manufacturers we're tense as they
awaited the start of the c. / o, drive.
One of them. president of shoe
company, in effect threw up his
hands with statement that it was
useless ITO buck labor at this time"
Others. some OF them already fight
ing strikes, asserted they would close
down their plants rather than accede
to demands labeled as eXorbitant.
There was evidence IN other quar-
tecs. offered in part in private state
ments. that men whose industries
have peen the backbone of CONNER
Cial New England would divide on
whether to fight or acCede.
In Worcester, Mass, that citys
Central Labor Union, an American
Federation of Labor group with an
enrolment Of some $4,000. stood fast
on its peremptory expulsion of 1900
members. A. F of L. Organizer Frank
Fenton charged they had C. I. O..
leanings. Thus was added intra- Labor
strife as we'll
Legislators Discuss Ban.
Objection by 10 members blocked
consideration in the South Carolina
House Of Representative today of a
resolution asking John L. Lewis, chair
man Of the c. I. O., to stay out Of
South Carolina"
The proposal, sponsored by Repre-
sentative Long of Union, was then re-
ferred to the Commerce and Manu-
factuers' Committee.
Il think" Long told newspaper men,
"that it would hurt South Carolina
more than anything that has hap
pened since the War Between the
States and upset our present pleasant
relations between employers and en-
ployes for Lewis to come into the
State to organize the textile industry"
Representative Sawyer of George
town, one of the opposition group
said:
II don't believe in choking Lewis
eff that way. Let him come on here
and talk. That's intolerance"
Members of the Central Trades and
Labor Council in New York City last
night voted that no action is to be
taken to unseat any member whose
union belongs to the C. 1. o. until
specific instructions are received from
the American Federation of Labor.
In so doing the members approved
the stand taken by their Executive
Committee Monday night.