On the return of William M. Wood, treasurer, a conference was arranged with the spinners, to take place at the company's office in the presence of the Board on January 29. At the conference the points at issue were carefully considered. The company promised to have the new scales tested to the satisfaction of the spinners; over-time work was not desired and would as soon as possible be done away with. A third question having arisen, concerning an increase in the schedule of wages, the treasurer said that when the large mill then building was finished, a list of rates that would be fair, and, he hoped, satisfactory to the spinners, would be established. The spinners, it appeared, had been given, a short time before, without having to request it, an increase of 10 per cent. in their wages, in view of which it was hoped that they would be patient until such time as the company could look into their grievances. The conference, not yielding any tangible result, dissolved, and the spinners' committee withdrew to report to the union at Maynard. On the 4th of February the following letter was received:

MAYNARD, MASS., Feb. 3, 1902. To the Honorable State Board of Conciliation and Arbitration, Boston, Mass. GENTLEMEN:- At a spinners' meeting held Thursday, January 30, the committee made a report in regard to our conference with the American Woolen Company, which was accepted, and a vote of thanks given to us for our services. The men are willing to accept the proposition made by the American Woolen Company for the present. Thanking the Honorable Board for your kind

ness, we are,

Very respectfully yours,

WM. G. MORRIS,

Chairman of Committee.

In the latter part of May some apprehension existed that the trouble of January might be renewed; and the Board

on the 26th received the assurances of officers of the company that the promise to arrange a schedule had not been lost sight of, but that further time for perfecting conditions in the new mill was required to perform the promise intelligently and with satisfaction to both parties. An invitation to meet the spinners on June 2 at the rooms of the Board was thereupon given and accepted. A similar invitation was extended to the spinners in Maynard on the 28th, and at the time appointed the officers of the company and the spinners' committee met in the presence of the Board and discussed the existing situation. An agreement was reached whereby existing relations were to be continued, perhaps for two or three months, until either party should notify the State Board of a desire to negotiate, whereupon the State Board should notify the other party and arrange the conference.

Word was received on the 12th that the union had ratified the agreement of the committee, and the matter was communicated to, William M. Wood, treasurer of the American Woolen Company.

On the 19th of November the following letter was received:

MAYNARD, MASS., Nov. 18, 1902. To the Honorable State Board of Conciliation and Arbitration, Boston, Mass. GENTLEMEN: The officers and members of the Assabet Spinners' Union at Maynard wish to call your attention to the fact that at the present time there are machines enough running, and in our opinion it would be a very good time to make a test and form a new price-list.

You know at the meeting held in Boston last June the American Woolen Company promised to do so, but this promise they have failed to live up to.

We wish to ask your advice in this matter, and if you can do anything to help us, we should appreciate it very much.

Thanking your Honorable Board for the many past favors, and hoping for an early reply, we are,

Yours respectfully,

THOMAS A. BRECK,

Chairman of Committee, Assabet Spinners' Union.

Box 62.

The employer was accordingly notified, and a day for a conference was set. On November 25 a conference was had at the State House in the presence of the Board between the treasurer of the company and the management of the Assabet Mills, representing the employer, and a committee of spinners, on the subject of Mr. Wood's proposed schedule of prices. The parties met on the following day, and considered a schedule of prices proposed by the spinners. The committee accepted the employer's schedule, with the understanding that the earnings were not to be lower than $12 a week for a spinner of average ability, but would conclude nothing without reporting the matter to the union. conference was thereupon adjourned to December 1.

The

The conference was resumed on the 1st of December. The committee reported that the union had rejected the employer's schedule, under the conviction that $12 a week could not be earned; and the parties adjourned, subject to call from the State Board. On December 10 the employer expressed a desire for a conference. The conference was resumed on the 12th, but no agreement was reached. The company announced its intention to post the new schedule in the mill on December 15.

On Friday, January 2, 1903, the Spinners' Union voted to strike on the 7th, and the committee in charge expressed a desire for a conference. The employer stated on the 3d that a sufficient trial had not yet been given to his schedule. It appeared that the earnings did not satisfy the work

people, who fancied the wages much less in amount than what had been promised. The schedule in question, which was said to guarantee $12 a week to a spinner of average ability, contemplated two kinds of remuneration: weekly earnings, and a monthly premium for skilled work in excess of a certain amount. The earnings, it appeared, did not amount to $12. The promise was not fulfilled, and having waited a long while for an adjustment, the spinners were beginning to feel uneasy.

On Tuesday, January 6, a message was received from the spinners' committee that the strike had occurred, anticipating the time set by one day in view of apparent preparation on the part of the employer; in consequence of the fear of a lockout and of the vote of the union, 118 employees of the spinning department quit work on January 6; 175 card room operators and 100 picker room operators were obliged to cease work for lack of stock at noon; and during the afternoon 200 employees, including the dresser-tenders, drawers-in and spoolers, were laid off for a similar reason. On the 7th 800 weavers were obliged to cease work, and all departments save the wet and dry finishing departments ceased operations. About 2,000 people were now out of employment.

The Board went to Maynard on January 10, and had a long interview with the spinners. The committee was unanimous in saying that some new machines which had superseded the old were of inferior capacity; they had every confidence in Mr. Wood, but could demonstrate that he was misinformed in regard to the matter. A conference with Mr. Wood in the presence of the Board, which had been arranged for the evening, was had in the office of the mill. In response to complaint that the two weeks' test since

December 15 had not resulted in the amount guaranteed at previous conferences by Mr. Wood, the treasurer replied that the two weeks were not only incomplete weeks, but much broken; that the test was intended to be tried through two full weeks of uninterrupted time; moreover, he thought that, notwithstanding that, the earnings fulfilled his promise. This was a question of fact, which was immediately contradicted. The pay-roll was then consulted, and it was found that the earnings of a full week plus the premium relating to that week amounted to a little more than $12 in just 50 per cent. of the whole number of spinners, a result somewhat better than that which Mr. Wood had promised. The committee admitted that the union had overlooked the premium which was due the wage-earners, for the reason that it was not mentioned on the pay envelopes. Other misunderstandings were cleared away, and the strike was thereupon declared off. On the 12th the strikers and all those who were idle in consequence of the strike returned to the mills.

AMERICAN WOOLEN COMPANY-LAWRENCE.

The movement to increase wages for weaving, exhibited at one time or another during the year in all the textile centres of the State, was felt in Lawrence on April 16 at a mass meeting of the weavers of the Washington Mills, belonging to the American Woolen Company, when a strike was voted, in consequence of which 9 weavers left and went on strike to enforce a demand for a 20 per cent. increase in wages and a change in the method of payment. The employees sought a conference with the mill management, and repeated the request, which was declined.

On the 22d a strike of 508 weavers occurred, rendering