In October and November 1934, workers at two Lykens Valley shirt factories, one in Elizabethville and one in Gratz, clashed with the factory owners over the right to organize as part of the Amalgamated Garment Workers. This story, told through newspaper articles in local and regional newspapers, tells of “outside organizers”, pickets, the wife of the Pennsylvania governor, and labor clashes with State Police and local anti-union leaders.
The two photos above appeared in the Harrisburg Evening News, October 20, 1934 were captioned as follows:
POLICE GUARD ELIZABETHVILLE PLANT
Here is a scene yesterday outside the Weaver Brothers shirt factory in Elizabethville, where disorders occurred when, according to borough authorities, union pickets from other towns attempted to prevent employees of the plant from going to work. State police are shown on guard against violence.
Below are shown Mrs. Gifford Pinchot, left, and Miss Jule Lesniak, Allentown, organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, after Mrs. Pinchot furnished $500 bail to obtain the release of Miss Leshiak from jail where she had been lodged on a charge of inciting to riot as a leader of pickets.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, November 1, 1934:
PICKETS CLASH WITH GRATZ EMPLOYEES MONDAY
Picketing operations of out-of-town residents which had been carried on at both Rossman-Weaver and Weaver Apparel plants in town resulted in violence in a clash between factory employees and Gratz townfolk, when extended to the R. E. Blyler shirt factory at Gratz, Monday morning.
Picketing at the Elizabethville plants was taken up two weeks ago by members of the Amalgamated Garment Workers Union of Lykens and last week was assumed by a group of Hazleton workers. No violence occurred however, after the altercation of October 19 when Leo Stiko of Mt. Carmel was beaten during picketing operations at the Weaver Apparel plant.
At a mass meeting of independent coal miners in Tremont Sunday afternoon, it is reported that Lewis Yoder of Allentown, and organizer for the Amalgamated Union, in a talk urged the miners to join picket lines at the local plants on Monday, which was observed as “Mitchell Day” throughout the coal mining regions. To this the miners are said to have pledged their support.
When intelligence of this action reached operators of the local plants they notified employees not to report for work that day, as a means to avoid possible violence.
Accordingly on Monday morning, a large caravan of automobiles carrying members of various unions and sympathizers, estimated at more than two hundred, arrived for picket duty but found both factories idle. Consequently there was no violence. According to a watchman stationed at the Rossman-Weaver plant on Buttonwood Street however, members of the crowd exerted pressure on doors and a number of windows, which were locked, but desisted in their efforts when warned. During the attempts however, a windowpane was broken, and a sheathing of boards, nailed across the frame to close a window which had previously been broken was battered loose.
Apparently satisfied that the factories were to remain idle that day, pickets proceeded to the Gratz factory. Workers there, as here, are not unionized.
The altercation there, it is said, occurred when Allen Evitts, an employee, was pulled from a doorway of the factory. Evitts and Allen Williams, who went to his aid, were beaten, and several pickers injured, before peace was restored. None of the injuries have been reported as serious, however. The pickets left that community without further demonstration, and the factory continued at work. Both Elizabethville factories resumed Tuesday morning without disturbance.
Locally there appears to be growing an intense feeling of resentment among factory employees because of continued efforts to have them unionize, despite reported previous rejections by them of such proposals. This is heightened by their loss of five working days, resulting from actual or threatened picket operations.
Publication was given in a Harrisburg daily newspaper Tuesday evening of a statement credited to Mildred Schell, president of Shirt Workers Union, Local No. 150, that the strike at the Weaver plants “is just starting.”
There is an apparent tightening of lines and the situation is one that may be expected to increase in seriousness as nerves and tempers become frayed by continued agitation.
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From the Lykens Standard, November 2, 1934:
GRATZ, SCENE OF MILL FIGHT; BOOTLEG MINERS AID ORGANIZERS
The unionization of Elizabethville and Gratz mills by the Amalgamated Garment Workers was materially aided by the action taken on Sunday afternoon when the bootleg miners of the Lykens Valley reaching from Branchdale to Lykens added their strength and numbers to the pickets. The army of nearly nine hundred men and women appeared at the Rossman-Weaver Mills at Elizabethville on Monday morning at 6:30 o’clock. The owner, Richard Weaver, having heard of the proposed picketing had ordered his workers not to appear on Monday. Two or three workers in the plant were called out and some windows broken. The score of police officers on the job prevented any further damage.
The unionizers then moved toward the R. E. Blyler plant in Gratz where like grievances have been lodged. The trouble at Gratz began when Allen Evitts, an employee in the Blyler Mill was dragged from the steps of the plant. A friendly miner, Allen Williams, of Gratz, were severely beaten. Member of the Gratz Hose Company started the trouble afresh when they attempted to connect a hose to quiet the aggregation. In the fight over the hose in which bricks and clubs flew, it was reported that Charles “Skip” Weaver, of Lykens, received a laceration of the scalp and some bystanders were hit.
The picketers were led by Lewis Yagoda, of York, and Amalgamated organizer.
Local organizer, Ms. Leon Schell, of Wiconisco, reports that many of the Rossman-Weaver employees of which there are 300 and some of the Blyler millhands number 60 have consented to join the Amalgamated Garment Workers, as an outcome of this activity of the last two weeks.
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The background to the actions taken by union organizers against the garment companies in Elizabethville and Gratz occurred in mid-October with the major events reported in the Harrisburg newspapers.
From the Harrisburg Telegraph, October 18, 1934:
PICKETING FORCES 2 PLANTS TO CLOSE
Elizabethville, October 18 — More than 250 workers today marched on two weaving mills here and forced the plants to close. Alleged code violations of the minimum wage scale were blamed for the demonstrations.
Miss Jule Lesniak, Allentown, State organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, organized employees of the Fox Garment Company, Lykens, to picket the local plants. Miss Lesniak charged employees were worked eight hours daily and paid for four to six hours work; that no wages had been paid for ten weeks and that yesterday employees were asked to forgo their back pay. Eighteen workers who refused to sign the agreement were discharged, she added.
Mine workers in convention at Lykens adjourned their meeting and joined the picketing. Leo Sitko, Shamokin, Socialist candidate for Congress, was a leader of the picketers, police said.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, October 19, 1934:
CALL DEPUTIES TO AVERT RIOT AT ELIZABTHVILLE
SEVERAL PICKETS INJURED AS FISTS FLY AT GARMENT COMPANY
Mrs. Cornelia Bryce Pinchot, wife of Governor Pinchot, this afternoon furnished $500 cash bail for Miss Jule Lesniak, Allentown, State organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers.
Miss Lesniak had been arrested in Elizabethville this morning by a deputy sheriff on a charge of inciting to riot in connection with labor disorders among shirt factory workers there.
At the Dauphin County prison she asked permission to communicate with Mrs. Pinchot and Warden Francis H. Hoy arranged for a telephone conversation. A few minutes later the Governor’s wife came to the office of Court Clerk Charles W. Henninger and furnished the bail. She chatted with Miss Lesniak and told courthouse officials the woman was an old friend.
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Elizabethville, October 19 — Sheriff George N. Barnes and twenty-five deputies were called this morning to the Weaver Apparel Company, this place, when a demonstration was staged outside the plant. More than 250 picketers forced the mill to close yesterday because of alleged code violations of the minimum wage scale.
Leo Sitko, Socialist candidate for Congress, who police say was a leader of the pickets, was injured in the demonstration as well as several women picketers. They were treated at the office of Dr. R. E. Barto.
Constable William Laudermilch, Burgess Frederick Keefer, Justice of the Peace Jacob Wertz and Ira Botts, assisting the police, tried to break up the demonstration when the trouble started.
United Mine Workers in convention at Lykens, yesterday adjourned their meeting and along with employees of the Fox Garment Company, also of Lykens, went to Elizabethville and forced the closing of the plant.
Richard L. Weaver is owner and head of the local firm which employs more than 125 persons. Miss Jule Lesniak, Allentown, State organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, was responsible for the picketing, police said.
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, October 19, 1934:
DEPUTIES GO TO ELIZABETHVILLE IN SHIRY STRIKE
Sheriff George N. Barnes, and seventeen deputies, armed with clubs, guns and tear gas, went to Elizabethville this morning to preserve order in the strike at the Weaver Brothers shirt factory, following an early morning melee in which about fifty persons are said to have taken part, and Leo Sitko, Atlas [Mt. Carmel Township], Socialist candidate for Congress, was badly beaten, and Miss Jule Lesniak, Allentown organizer for the Amalgamated clothing Workers was arrested.
After spending several hours in the Dauphin County jail, Miss Lesniak was released under $500 bail furnished by Mrs. Gifford Pinchot, wife of the Governor. Mrs. Pinchot appeared in the office of Clerk of the Courts Charles W. Henninger and offered to provide the bond. Miss Lesniak was brought from the jail by Deputy Sheriff Paul Zerbe and the formalities enacted.
The deputies were hastily mustered and rushed to the strike scene by automobile following two calls from Burgess Fred Keefer, of Elizabethville, for assistance. Order was restored after a group of out-of-town picketers, including delegates with the convention of District No. 9, United Mine Workers of America in session at Lykens, left the borough.
This afternoon, five State troopers were added to the police force stationed at the plant.
Sitko, who is president of the U. M. W. A. local at Mt. Carmel, returned to the convention wearing a pair of handcuffs. He said he had been beaten by Elizabethville officers and CCC workers, who placed the handcuffs on him and refused to remove them. His head was bandaged.
Miss Lesniak, who is widely known as a labor organizer, was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Lew Jenkins and arraigned before Justice of the Peace I. S. Daniels on a charge of inciting to riot. Bail was fixed at $500 for further hearing, but she said she would remain in jail rather than attempt to obtain bail. She was committed to the Dauphin County jail her.
Chief of Police Jacob Wertz, of Elizabethville, said the woman had led the picketers.
The United Mine Workers convention sent telegrams of protest to President Roosevelt, Governor Pinchot, and code authorities of forbidding the right of free speech. Sitko told the delegates he had been beaten with blackjacks and lead pipes when he went to the aid of a girl striker who was being roughly handled by a constable.
CCC workers from a nearby camp, who had been deputized by Elizabethville police, delegates to the union convention, Elizabethville police and girl workers participated in the general melee.
Authorities said the constable with whom Sitko clashed was William S. Loudermilch. Burgess Keefer was among those who were roughly handled in the melee.
Workers charged that the shirt factory, which employs about 200 persons, violated wage provisions of the code. Miss Lesniak said sweatshop conditions existed at the plant.
The owners of the plant, Howard L. Weaver, F. Blair Weaver, and Richard L. Weaver, brothers, denied that any number of their employees were dissatisfied and said the trouble started when 250 garment workers from Lykens came to Elizabethville yesterday morning and began picketing the Weaver plant. Several clashes occurred yesterday, a number of persons receiving black eyes. The picketers were joined by delegates to the miners’ convention.
This morning’s disturbance occurred outside the building housing the pressing and laundry department when loyal workers attempted to enter the plant, according to the operators. The management stated only several of the Weaver employees were on picket duty.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, October 20, 1934:
PEACE RESTORED AFTER RIOTS AT ELIZABETHVILLE
Elizabethville, October 20 — Peace was restored here last night after rioting at the Weaver Apparel Company following arrival of State Police and Sheriff George N. Barnes of Dauphin County, with a group of armed deputies. Picketers charged code violations of the minimum wage scale were responsible for the trouble.
Miss Jule Lesniak, Allentown, was arrested by deputy sheriffs yesterday on charges of inciting to riot. She was lodged in the Dauphin County jail but released when Mrs. Cornelia Bryce Pinchot, militant wife of the Governor furnished $500 cash bond. Miss Lesniak is a State organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers. Several persons were injured in the fighting.
Miss Pinchot arrived here late in the afternoon and addressed the picketers, urging them to join the Amalgamated Workers and avail themselves of the protection a united front would afford them.
Telegrams of protest to President Roosevelt over the alleged beating of miner delegates who were picketing, were sent by delegates of District No. 9, United Mine Workers of America, in convention at Lykens. The miners had adjourned their meeting and come to the local factory. Leo Sitko, Shamokin, Socialist candidate for Congress, who was among the injured, escaped from police and returned to Lykens with handcuffs dangling from his wrists and a bandaged head.
Settlement of the disturbance was in the hands of Department of Labor investigators. Clarence J. Moser, director of the Bureau of Mediation, and Patrick Ramsey, also of the bureau, were in Elizabethville and said the factory would remain closed today and Monday. Pickets were requested to ceases activity during this period and it was hoped that a permanent settlement of the dispute would be reached by Tuesday morning.
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, October 30, 1934:
UNION INSISTS SHIRT PLANT STRIKE IS ON
Mildred Shell, president of Shirt Workers’ Union, Local No. 150, issued a statement today denying the statement of the management of the Rossman-Weaver plant in Elizabethville that “there is no strike there.”
The president’s statement said in part: “That the strike started a week ago by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers at the Rossman-Weaver plant is over was denied to by the officials at the union. The statement of the management that the workers had voted against the union was attacked by the union.” The statement alleges that coercion exists at the shirt plant and adds that the “strike is just starting.”
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Articles and photos from Newspapers.com.
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