The evening times., 1897-12-28
COlON|zEjEW|sHWORKERs
Proposition to Take 5000 Out
of New York.
FORTY PER CENT TOO MANY
Meyer Schoenfeld, Lender OF the
brotherhood Of United TatlOrs.
Agrees to Take Charge OF tue
Matter II One Years support Is
Qua ranteed the ColOnists

New York, lee. SS.-RepresentauVes oi
the Baron lie JIirsch fund have approached
Meyer Schoenreld, founder and leader OF
the Brotherhood OF United Tailors. and
asked his cooperation In a great coloniza-
ton plan involving the emigration or many
thousands or East Side garment makers to
d rreer sol. where less slavish and more
profitable ir dustries would be open to them
"I told them" said schoenr Id, with his
Characteristic energy OF utterance, ".hat
would be willing to cooperate in this plan
provided the colonists should be guaranteed
support for "a year in their new home. l
told them that there were 40 per cent
too many garment workers in Greater New
York, and that the colonization scheme, IL
successf ul, would 90 long way 20 ward
regulating supply and demand OF labor, 80
that those remaining here might can
enough TO let them live like human beings
II told item that on the condition 1
named could at once secure following
of at least 5000 to the new colony, and
that 10000 more would flock there in the
course OF a year il the colony should show
signs of being a success. Whether the con
dition ] nau,ec will be accepted 1 cannot
say, but it is quite likely that in he course
of a week there may be Important intel
Iigence on tho subject
And then Meyer Schoe nfeld jumped to his
feet and walked up and down the room,
sketching in vigorous terms the conditions
of those for whose uplifting he elected to
la Dor, and emphasizing his statements with
jerky, Intense gestures that seemed an
expression OF the mans own nature.
''There are 10000 garment workers in
Greater New York. he said. How 10
they live? YoG can see for yourself. Look
around at these tenements. LOOK Into
these sweatshops. Why is it. then. that
they stay here? Why is it that e here are
more of these unhappy starvelings in New
York, Brooklyn, and Brownsville. thaa
there are IL all tie other large cities OF
the United States combined? There are
many reasons"
Meyer Schoenfeld sat down suddenly on
the table and punctured his discourse by
striking the palm Of his left hand with the
first and second fingers Of his right.
1.-THE clothing trade is the easiest thing
in the world for Jew to drift into AMI tie
hardest thing for him to escape from. he
does not speak the language Of the country.
Well, a tailor need not speak the language.
He is tin id: lie does not care to venture far
afield. Veil, there is nothing to fear in q
sweatshop-nothing except staI walton. And
1t is so easy to learn to use needle Jr
sweing machine.
but I'll tell You another reason why
these poor souls are huddled here in misery.
working for what they can get. They are
nearly all orthodox Hebrews, who observe
Saturday as the Sabbath and work on Sun
day. Here in New York they are permitted
to do 81, because the Sundaylaws are 1ot IN
forced. II they W ent to other cities, where
Sunday observance was Compelled. they
could not work on Sunday, and they GER
tainly could not afford to be idle two days
IN each week. 1t is SO easy to evade the
Sunday law here, where there Is null
titude of small Contractors, or middlemen,
1t was different when the workers were
employed directly by the nj manufacturers.
Now we hope to abolish this system
of small contractors in 1900. We have
given notice to manufacturers TINT,
beg inning with that year, they must
employ their own labor direct. That, Of
course, Will be for the benefit of the work
ers, If we car force II toa successful issue
and 1 think we can.
Under present conditions there are 80
many rival middlemen that they cut each
others threats in bidding for work, and.
Of course, the operatives wages are cut
down tc starva ation point. Any fellow with
a couple of machines can be contra ctOr
and the proprietor Of sweatshop in these
days.
That is why the tailors are obligs,I to
strike regularly every year. During the
slack sea son the workers are at the mere yof
their employers. Then, when the busy sca-
son begins and the are reaIl needed badly.
1 they are furced to strike before they can
obtain a restitution of anything like
living wages"
"Mr. Schoenfeld omitted to state that he
had invented the system of striking every
year, and that through his efforts the con-
ditions under which the East Side tailors
labor have beer greatly mitig ated during
the past ter years, by reason OF his ex-
ecutive ability and the public sentiment
which he aroused in favor of the workers
| In the course OF the great strikes engineered
| by him.
THE abolition Ct the middleman system
| will be a great help" concluded the la Dor
leader, but there can be NO real, perma-
| nent Improvement until the Congestion here
| is relieved Dy some such scheme Of coloni
zation as that proposed by the representa-
| tives of the Baron de Hirsch fund"
Do you know that you can have
| The Morning., Evening and Sunday