Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-10
All SIN WORKS TOO CHEAP
The Laundrymen's Complaint Against The
Cinnamon.
Result of ssShnrp Competition - A
Chinese Union FOrmcl-The Big
Steam Lnundries.

An ISSUE between the white laundrymen
of Washington and the Chinese has result
ed in good deal of sharp competition dur
ing the last four or five months. Until last
winter there had been no combination OF
the LOCAL white laundrymen. Work had
been plenty for all of them, and prices had
been good fer several years. About year
ago, however. two or three of their num-
Der began to cut prices in order to get a
large amount of work and keep good deal
OF machinery running. To ward off sus-
picion, 1t is claimed the leading concern
Ell gagged in this reduction of prices estab-
lished number of agencies wearing flc-
titioas name. all the work received at these
agencies going to the large laundry plant
of the concern. When the other 1aundries
heard what their competitor had done,
they held a meeting and formed an asso-
citation for protection against methods
which they thought unfair.
When 1t Began.
Before this the white laundrymen say,
the Chinese had begun here and there to
cut under. doing shirts at cents and col
lars at 1 cent The cut made by the two or
three white laundrymen seemed to spur the
Chinese on and made them afraid that they
would in time be run out of the business
The disposition gradually spread among
them to put prices down, until lately a con-
test came up in their union on the subject
OF prices, and they all joined In the new
and reduced schedule. When a Star re-
porter asked number of Cinnamon this
morning how the fight was progressing 1t
was stated that all the Chinese laundries
in the city had been brought into the COM
bination with the exception of perhaps hf-
teen. There are III in the city. The China
men say that they cannot do business and
stay out of the union. If the union goes for
lower prices they must all obey 1t, because
thox, 4 81 r,1e
in which to work. The union stands sponsor
for every Chinaman connected with 1t, and
they all .,efer to 1t when they go to a land
lord to lease a building.
A Chinese Boycott.
In short, they claim that there is now a
strong boycott against the few laundry
men of their number that have not
knuckled down to tie mandate of the union
and put down their prices. These China
men are denied the friendship and associa-
ton OF the great majority of the other Mon
gol;ans in the city, and are in many ways
prevented from enjoying privileges which
are essential to the successful and profit
able management Of their business. How
long the cut in prices will stand they do
not know So far as could be learned from
Cinnamon, 1t will be permanent.
Managers of several white laundries were
seen by Star reporter and they are all
very determined in their opinion that
the Chinese laundries. They say that they
are hiring hundreds of employees. some of
them many as fifty or sixty, and one
concern claims thatHft pays out more in
wages, fuel bills and other running eX-
penses than all the Chinese laundries in
the city. Most of their employees are wo-
men and girls who get from $3.50 to 81
week, and the managers declare that IL
they were'' to turn them all out and give
notice that new force was wanted they
could get all the help they wanted at 81
week for there are hundreds of women and
girls In the city begging for work.
Work Is Scarce.
EVERY few days" said one laundry man
ager. I'VE have some woman or girl here
begging for employment and some Of them
beseech US with tears in their eyes and
tell us they are starving or have little ones
at home that are in want of bread
The laundry managers state that they
have a good deal of capital invested in ma
chinery: that they cannot pay present
prices for help and meet the cut in prices,
and that they can only appeal to the
American citizens to patroniZe them and
not patronize the Chinese laundries. Here,
they say, is the crucial and final test Of
their position. If the public wants to en-
courage the Chinaman and starve the poor
American women and children, that set
ties 1t.