The evening world., 1894-09-13
ARBITRATION, NOW.
State Board Meets Contractors and
Striking Garment Workers.
Joint Conference TO Be Held To-
Morrow Morning.
Matters Rapidly Shaping Themselves
Towards n Settlement.

The Investigation OF the state Board
of Arbitration and Mediation into the
causes of the task-working coatmakers
against the contractors, began at 10
o'clock this morning at the Broadway
Central Hotel. Commissioner William
Purcell of the Board Of Arbitration
presided. Commissioners Edward Fee
ney, Judge Gilbert Robertson and Charles
J. Madden. Secretary Of the Board, were
present.
The Board decided to give the parties
involved in the strike separate hearings.
Accordingly, while the contractors, rep
resented by Secretary Witkowsky and
two other members of the Clothing Con-
tractors Mutual Protective Association,
were presenting their side Of the strike
the Committee of the strikers was kept
waiting IN another room.
The strikers committee consisted of
Herman Robinson, Abe Harrison. Jo-
seph Goldberg Solomon Davis. Benja-
min Sweitzer and Charles f. Reichers,
the last being the Secretay of the
United Garment Workers OF America.
Mr.. Witkowsky gave a resume of the
strike. lie stated that the men had
| justly rebelled against the hard task
system that had prevailed.
I'VE have been willing to grant them
| the advance IN wages ana the hours
of LABOR dod saa M sbseribe TO
the two other requirements. namely:
that we should exclude all knights of
Labor from our shors. and that we
for the faithful performance OF the
agreement with the men"
MIR Reichers stated on behalf of the
strikers that the latter would not yield
one lot of their demands. He explained
that the reason for discriminating against
the Knights of Labor, was because the
tailors Of this organization were piece
workers and did not desire to abandon
their system. while the brotherhood
men are looking for wee k-wages. II the
two systems are introduced simuitan-
to produce confusion and result in q
return to the old sweating" state of
affairs.
tenn one of the contractors told the
Commissioners that he had been a
sweater" boss, and that he conse-
quently knew what that system meant.
do that which the boss knows in his
heart is almost impossible for, them to
accomplish, and then paying them next
To-day's hearing. which is really only
preliminary to the real investigation,
| was adjourned at 1890 o'clock. The
Board will reconvene at 10 O'Clock to-
| trail Hotel to afford the contractors and
strikers an opportunity to hold a joint
conference In the presence Of the Board.
| Now that the Board of Arbitration has
stepped in, It is believed that the strike
will rapidly be terminated. Even with
out the Intervention of the Board the
wind-up of the fight in favor of the
| strikers.
or the 5000 men who struck. 5000
and y
signed the Brotherhood agreement, and
several Of the large Broadway manu-.
facturers are inducing their contractors
to sign.
Marcus & Bro, of 81 S Canal street,
the strikers Headquarters, AZ Grand
they had compelled to sign the agree
ment. The firm Endorsed these con-
tractors bonds.
Many manufacturers are said to have
determined to do away with the con
tractor system altogether. They are
making arrangements to fur ish shops
OF their own and put men to work ir
them.
This is the dawn OF a new era to the
workingmen. The contractor has beer
getting the lions share of the profits. L
the manufacturers carry out the inten
ton to establish shops of their own thu
profits that have been going to the mid
dleman will probably be shared between
the manufacturer and the workngmen
and the latter's pay will accordingly
amount to even more than they are ask
ing for now
There will be a mass-meeting of the
Brotherhood strikers in the Union Saen
gerfest Hall, Brooklyn, this evening
Gompers. Reichers and Harry White, OF
the Federation OF Labor. will address;
the meeting.
, About 1000 OF the 1000 overcoat ant
sackcoat makers OF Union No. 80, United
Garment Workers Of America. have re
turned to work. the contractors having
yielded to their terms.
The knights OF Labor deny the story
that Contractor Samuel Levy signed any
agreement with them yesterday. as wa
published.
Max Greenwald and Louis BerkowitZ
strikers, were fined 81 each in Esse,
: Market Police Court to-day for OBJ
structing the walk in front of JOSEPH
Greenbaums cloak shop, at Manhat
tan street, and intimdating workmen.