Evening journal., 1897-08-04
BIG STRIKE AT HAND.
Twelve Thousand Cloakmakers
Threaten to Stop Work.
CANNOT LIVE ON PRESENT WAGES.
The Workers Say That TO Continue at
the Rates Now Received Would
Result In Starvation-Strike
May Become General.

New York, Aug. 4.-The first guns
have been fired in the great battle that
has long been expected between the 12-
600 cloakmakers and the manufac-
turers
A strike Of 200 operators in the shops
Of Is contractors employed by S. Roths-
child & Bro. of Broadway and Howard
street, the largest cloak manufacturing
establishment in the city, went into ef-
feet yesterday afternoon.
The combined efforts Of Barondess,
who is to speak at the mass meeting OF
the cloakmalxers of New York, Brook
lyn, Brownsville and Newark. to be held
Tuesday night in New Irving hall. and
Of all the other leaders Of the immense
body Of workmen and worSwomen will
not be able to successfully combat the
loud outcry for a general strike that
is certain to result.
An example of the straits to which
they are reduced is afforded by the case
of Marcus Braff, the secretary Of the
United Brotherhood of Cloakmakers.
During the past week he has been
forced to return to work as a machine
operator. and his place is filled for the
present by Abraham Rosenberg. anoth-
er workman. There are only a few hum
dred dollars in the treasury of these
1900 people with which to conduct a
general strike.
1T is not a question Of our ability to
stay out on the funds we have" Rosen-
berg said, but Of how long we can stay
in and live. l would deplore a general
strike. but the cry is loud on every
hand for the strike, and the next few
days may witness a general outbreak"
A committee composed of Abraham
Cohen, Henry Fisher, Louis Rottman
and Louis Meiach has been appointed
to arrange for the mass meeting to be
held Tuesday night. The workmen
viii be allowed to shape their own
course, and a repetition of the stormy
scene at Walhalla hail. when the tailors
decided on their late strike against the
advice of their leaders, may be ex-
pected.
Tried to Reduce Wages.
Rothschild & Bro, in whose shops the
strike is in progress, employ about 1000
men and women in the height of the
season. but they have cut their force
down to about 200 during the dull sea-
son, which is just drawing to a close
The strike Of those remaining was
brought about by an attempt at further
reduction of wages. according to the
statements of the men.
mo scabs will take their places d
Rosenberg said I'm the approaching
struggle there viii be no unionism. II
is a fight for life by every man and wo.
man in the shops"
The 200 employees Of Meyer Vessel al
Al Division street and the $50 of Shat
& Silverman at SO Canal street have
held shop meetings and will make theii
demands Friday. If refused they vii
follow in quick succession unless th'
general strike forestalls them.
The 1000 women. working in the sweat
shops of the cloalxmakers are making
SO a week on the average, out OF which
many Of them are struggling to support
families.
Pants Makers Confident.
The striking pants makers are in higi
spirits over the fact that their force.
as strikers have been increased by thu
Never Rip" union of overall makers.
The "Never Rip" people number 15l
and have never before Joined with th'
pants makers in any Of their struggles
The leaders of the strike consider th'
reinforcement a great victory.
The Never Rippers." as they arr
called. are a thrifty lot, furnishing thei
own needles, thread and sewing ma
chimes, and the fact that they kept by
themselves caused much commen
among the pants makers unions il
days gone by. 1t was never thought tina
they would join the pants makers unit
quite recently.