The herald., 1897-05-18
TO Keep Souls and Bodies
Together
NEW YORK TAlLoRs STRIKE
FoRCINc THEIR OFFICERS TO
ORDER ACTION
Eighteen Thousand Workmen Out
and tho Number Will Be Doubled
in Another Day
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK. May 1.-THE decision
of the tailors to strike today was not ar
rived at by the ordinary process Of rea
soning. 1t was wave of popular cent?
ment which eliminated in an over
whelming and resistless desire to order
the strike at once. BY something like
mental telegraphy this idea spread all
ever the East Side like flash, for in
the darkness, jrSt before 2 O'Clock in the
morning, throngs of excited people
poured into Orchard street from all
Strike. strike, strike. Monday! No more
waiting." A cheer which swelled into
a roar as the surging massee OF human
ity swayed in front of New Washington
to come down, followed the shouts. In
ten minutes all the streets leading tow
ard Orchard street We're black with
people. William Cohen. the new leader
Of the Brotherhood of Tailors. who Is
also the head of the executive commit
tee. opened a window above in the room
where the committee met, and asked the
people what was wrong.
Strike. strike; order a strike. We're
starvirg!" was the reply from hundreds
of throets.
Would you strike now?" said Cohen.
wait until all the trades can strike to-
gether. You have no demands pre-
pared"
A yell, mixed with execrations, fol-
lowed and some of those in the crowd de-
cleared that if the executive board did
not order a ctrike they would break the
doors down. The crowd for awhile
seemed bereft of reason. Cohen headed
delegation of the executive committee
which came out to reason with the tail
ors. Each member was mobbed as he
came out. Dozens of fists were shaken in
their faces.
Lynch them If they don't order
strike" shouted several voices.
Yes" shouted hundreds of others.
Lynch them. Kill them II they don't"
Men began to weep and plead, saying:
"Oh, have pity on us and order strike.
We're earning starvation wages now"
Among the singular features of the ex-
traordinary scenes wac that people were
80 implicitly bent upon the idea OF hav-
ing leaders that, though they could have
gone on strike themselves, they would
not do SO without official orders. They
were determined to force the executive
committee to order them to strike.
Cohen expostulated with much haste,
but his words were drowned by the hun
drede Of voices with the command.
"Strike!" That settled it. The commit
ha n in tn inc
and formally ordered a general strike Of
ropolitan district. AS the Children's
Jacket Makers and the Progressive, Tail
ors' Union intend to strike Immediately
afterward 1t is a foregone conclusion
that they will go on strike. After the
strike had been ordered committees
went around to the shops and called the
tailors out.
The contractors were taken by sur
prise. They were not organized The
average wages the men are now getting
are IS week. Thy will demand from
80 to $40.
In this city, Brooklyn and Newark
$4,000 men and women are on a strike.
The strike affects the entire clothing
manufacturing trade. The reason of the
strike is the failure of contractors to live
up to the agreement made more than a
year ago
Cohen said that Progressive Tailors'
Union, No. II, which will meet tonight,
will probably order strike. Thie union
numbers about 10000 men, who make the
better class of ready-made garments.
The cutters, who have a separate organi-
cation, will soon be forced into idleness.