Evening star., 1952-02-04
Hard Hit New Hampshire Cities
Fiuht to Avert Grim Disaster

lDe10re ana Gne NaSnuauS uOGk60
there to work.
Led TO Senate Probe.
The shutdown Of the mills led
Ito a Congressional investigation
lof Textron and it's charitable
trust operations, by COMMITTEES
headed by Senator ,Tobey. Re
publican, of New Hampshire.
Textron sold the machinery In
one plant. employing 1900. and 1t
was moved away.
It was at that time young Hugh
Gregg started to move. The son Of
o. wealthy woodwork manufac-
Iturer, he had opened a law busi-
ness in 1916 after 4 years in the
Army. Meantime, he was elected
as alderman-at-large Of Nashua.
Mr.. Gregg rounded up some Of
the leading citizens Of the town
to buy the Textron mill proper
ties. They set up the Nashua
Foundation, q public trust, main
purpose Of which was to promote
1.-THE welfare of Nashua and solve
the job problem created by the
Textron closing. Any profits made
by the foundation were to 60 to
the New Hampshire Society for
Crippled Children and Handi-
capped Persons.
The Foundation bought the two
mills for $500. 900. raising q down
payment Of 100000 from banks
and other firms and giving Tex
tron a 100000 mortgage. They
leased the smaller mill, electric
plant, bleachery and die works
back to Textron at 100000 a year.
Textron, meantime. had decided
Ito continue operations at the
smaller plant and the lease was for
10 years.
Solicited New Business.
Then. MIR. Gregg and his CO.
workers Scurried about the coun-
TRY persuading new business to
move into Nashua and take over
the larger mill property purchased
from Textron.
They succeeded well, bringing
lin IL firms, the largest Of which
make electronic equipment. greet
ing cards and shoes. The firms
employ about 1850 people, more
than were laid off by Textron.
The enterprise has worked out
so well that the Foundation has
paid of the $400. 900 mortgage tt
ITextron and most Of its debts
about town. The Society fol
Crippled Children is assured Of
large and steady income. Prop
erty owned by the Foundation
now is valued at 81 million anc
the rents are coming in.
Largely because Of his work fol
Nashua, Mr.. Gregg was persuaded
to run for Mayor in 1949. He sur
prised friends by winning, despits
some heavy handicaps. Nashus
is q Democratic mill town. 6:
per cent of the people are Catholic
and of French Canadian descent
Mr.. Gregg, q Republican. is from
q wealthy Protestant family. Hi
opponent was an elderly doctor
| of French Canadian descent. WHIT
said If only all Of the babies hi
had delivered would vote for him
he would win. But he didn't.
To Run For Governor.
Now Mr.. Gregg, who was called
back into the Army on a reserve
commission before his term a.
Mayor was up. has declared fol
1.-THE Republican laomination a.
iGovernor. He Is expected to b.
released by the Army soon anc
hits friends are betting he vii
Twin again.
/ Meanwhile, Textron last fall be-
fgan closing their second plant
the one it leased from the Foun'
Idation. So far about 1900 per-
Isons have lost their jobs. Officers
|of the Foundation said that Tex
tron is still paying the rent but
it does not appear they will reopel
the mill. /
| It poses new problem fol
Nashua. The city has 1000 un'
employer, about half of whom
ARE still out of work because oi
the latest Textron shutdown
There are 1900 receiving unem'
Iployment compensation.
The Foundation set up by Mr.
Gregg and his friends is stymiet
for the moment because Textror
still has a lease on the plant ant
lit is the only vacant manufac'
turing space in the city.
i Hardship Cases.
The situation has brought rea
hardship to some Of Nashua
| people.
I Thomas j. Pitarys, head Of tn
CIO Textile Workers Union II
the city, cited the case Of a mai
and wife and II children, whit
lost his job with Textron. HI
has been unable to get work ant
lis collecting $2s a week compen
sation. One daughter is nettinl
$23 a week in a shoe factory.
; boy in the family has just reaches
the age Of employment and hope
Ito 60 to work soon Meantime
|; the whole 13 are getting by OF
$51 a week.
! Another case. Mr.. Pitarys said