Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-11-16
NEVER SURRENDER.
The Motto OF the Cioakmakers .t N.u
York.

'''iSu eHiplr1c;illy by the Supineness
VI 'he manufacturers i'm the past. But
the iirms, which had suffered from many
such difficulties all the year. finally deter
mined by co-oneration to make n FIGHT Tn
"shoro tiine S.e strikers had nothing but
nope, based on the chances of the order
Tor "a general garment makers strike
"heh this failed and the firms still held
u. 'nc workmen were reduced to charity,
ana that Is their sole reliance now.
Animated unions have sent them some
aid, united labor generally will raise
something for them at massmeetinps
soon, and business men, saloon keepers
ana others are supplying some food and
promises OF clothing. Such action will
not help long, and as the strikers are
uisposed to hold out it is probable that
9,oJO or 10000 able-bodied men and won,
en-, with skill for which there is a mar
Ret now, will be thrown on the charity of
the community before the winter is over
These few incidents illustrate the serious
condition existing
Starvation Before Surrender
AdOlph Kopelcwitz cloakmakcrs' chair.
man of the joint board of cutters and
cloakmakers, conferred with the presi
dent of the Cloak Manufacturers associa-
ton.
They demand unconditional surrender
on our part, said Kopclewitz '.We will
starve first
At AZ Grand street, the meeting rooms
OF the executive committee of the Cloak
makers union, famished striker ran in.
ana Tor Il moment it locked as if riot
was imminent.
Il want money from you" he shouted,
at the same time grabbing another striker
by the throat ''If you don't give it to
me 1 will brain you. My wife wants
something to eat and you give me the
money the executive committee has got to
spcnd."'
With difficulty he was restrained from
attacking those in the meeting with a
weapon he had picked up. In the damp,
dark basement of Walhalla hall nearly
hundred men who have been turned out
OF their houses with their families because
they are not able to pay their arrears in
rent have been compelled to sleep ON the
hard board floor
Cry for Bread.
Their wives and children they have left
with neighbors who have still a roof to
cover their hcads. The basement where
these wretched people sleep is about
twelve feet below the street. Not ray of
sunlight and rarely breath of pure air
reaches it. Eight hundred ragged and
woe-beSone men lay there, signing, moan
ing, and groaning, unable to forget their
misery in sleep. Now and then there rose
and fell prayerful nurmur like the
chanting of savages in the solitude of the
prairies.
Bread? o. give us brea? We must
have bread?" was repeated again and
again with outstretched arms.
Three hundred loaves of broad were dis
tributed in this basement The men
crowded around it and fought like ami
mails for the loNes. Sevcnty-tive more of
the families were evicted The women
and the children were all provided for US
comfortably rs the leaders could devise.
The desperation and brutality which
hunger traces on human faces We're shown
plainly in the 5000 men who gathered in
the ball room of Walhalla hall. Women
wept. Speakers assembled the platform by
dozens and said
Caused Great COmmotion.
Eve are starving, but we yet remain on
strike. What do we care for hunger?
Brothers, will you remain out on strike
until next spring? Roars of "Yes,"
Yes! Are you wiling to give up this
striker" ''Never!' "Neverl"
"a scab is here!" shouted a dozen
strikers. Kill him Kill him, Out with
him. Five minutes later there was cry
of .'Spies! Spies! There are spies in the
mceting!" Immediately there was "a
great commotion Here they are! Kill
them! Lynch them!" could be heard
Amid great disturbance the spies were
elected with severe injuries.
Timely mediations under the auspices
of II body of citizens whose worthy mo-
tives are admitted is again being widely
discussed. An attempt is being made by
the coat and shirtmaking contractors to
force Il return to the sweating system,
which was abolished in the two industries
recently by the strikers. These poor
people are clamoring for bread, desperate
in thought, awaiting a leader for violent
deeds. But they declare they will not
compromise.