Evening star., 1952-02-03

q & S +
of his government ''to both labor
and management in the effort toI
solve the employment problem,
hire trained industrial engineer,
appoint new Industrial Develop
Iment Committee to replace the old
one which resigned when he came
in.
I'VE must retain our present
industries and bring in new and
diversified ones.' he said.
New and diversified industry is
Lawrence real hope Of curing un-I
employment. Mr.. Barry Of the
Chamber of Commerce said:
I'VE need 10000 new jobs in.
diversified industries to provide
pretty full employment. OF course.
Iif our wooden manufacturers move
out that would change the picture.
In 1948 and 1949 we got $500 new
Jobs in the needle trades, men S
clothing, plastics. electronics. We
are shooting for anything but tex.
tiles"
Mr.. Barry attributed Lawrence's
plight to an excess capacity of the
worsted industry generally; di-
fninished civilian demand for
clothes: heavy inventories of cloth
at all trade levels: competition of
Isynthetics-rayon. nylons. blends
and competition of Southern
producers who are undertaking
US on Government orders"
Union Defends Workers.
The CIO and the AFL cited
those reasons. They said poor
management and ancient machin-
Iery, rather than the workers, are
largely responsible for low pro-
ductivity at the mills.
Union contracts with most Of
the mills expire March Is. Amer
lean Woolen and others have
served notice they are not renew
ing on present terms. The big
issue in forthcoming talks about
q new contract il certain to be
what is "a fair days work" rather
than wages. The unions viii re-
new the present contract. They
point out the size OF work loads for
| the employees are subject to arbi-
tration under the present agree
ments where arrangements and
unions are unable to agree.
Productivity is where they beat
he'll out of u.s." said Mr.. Barry Of
the Chamber. "They run four to
six looms here, far more in the
South
Takes Slap at Employers.
"They (employers) belive q man
has done a full days work when
he is carried out on a stretcher. "
commented Francis Schaufenbil Of
the AFL.
Mr.. White Of American Woolen
said worker slow-downs and
arbitrary limitations on employees
production" are among New Eng
lands major problems. And he
added contracts with the unions
should allow us to accomplish
,he job that labor and management
must do if we are going to find
solutions to this problem" Of
Southern competition.
"How much longer are we people
ia New England going to be OUT
smarted politically, ecoomica1ly
and industrially by other sections
of this country?" Mr.. White asked.
Urges Last Ditch Fight.
"Our taxes have developed
these competing areas and have
aided our competition. Our shoe
industry has practically vanished
to the West. Our cotton and
synthetic fabric mills, have. for
the most part, migrated to the
South. And now the once great
New England WOODEN and worsted
industry is on its way to this
area. What kind of people are
we to let this thing happen?
"Are city and State govern
ments of New England ready tc
meet Southern competition? i
this community ready to meet the
competition of Southern COM
munities? Are you workers ready
to meet the competition Of South
ern workers? You are going tc
have one more opportunity to dc
this and, If you are ready.
solemnly promise you that as
president of the American Woolen
Co. I will join you in the fight
Of our lives to keep our mills
here"
\ Tomorrow:
II Manchester and Nashau.