The times., 1899-10-31
STRIKE OF FLAG-MAKERS.
Girls Who sew stars on old Glory
HnNe n GrieNmnce.


Twenty-Five girls, who claim that they
could not obtain living wages for sewing
the American flags used by the United
States Government. went on strike last
week and remained out for four days. Want
drove them back at the end Of this period,
and they returned TO find their places filled
by green" hands, who were willing to
learn the trade for mere pittance. The
girls were employed by a Washington firm,
which has an awning and bunting factory
in Eleventh Street northwest.
The contracts for the manufacture Of the
flags used by the various departments of
the Government are let out to contractors
and for many years the Washington con-
cern has obtained the orders for those used
by the Treasury Department. The order,
it is claimed, was not given because OF
any reduction in price nor because of
low bid, but because of the fine quality
of the work turned out by this firm. The
girls employed by them were all expert
enced hands, and few flags have ever been
rejected. According to the statements
made by the strikers they have been sub
jected TO a gradual reduction in the price
paid them for each flag until Of late they
were cut down to q cents per union.
The union" is the term given to the up
per corner of "OId Glory" and consists Of
the white stars upon a blue background.
There are forty-five Of these stars on each
side of the union" making a total Of
ninety five-pointed patterns. which are
sewed carefully by hand and are subjected
to a rigid examination before being ac
cepted from the stitchers.
The girls state further that only a very
rapid hand can turn out three complete
unions" in one day, and even then this
requires steady work, which impairs the
eyesight. They claim that when they were
cut down to q cents they Immediately pro-
tested 10 the man who has charge of this
department He they state, informed
them that he had discovered that the shops
in New York doing the same work or on
other parts of the flag were not paying
their hands one-half what ne paid, and he
could not afford 20 pay more than they did.
The girls state that they protested that
they were earning from SO to $l5 per
week several years ago, and asked why
their employer could not still pay that
amount, since he received the same prices
from the Government. Failing to obtain
a higher rate per union" the girls went
out on strike last Tuesday.
They then went to labor organization
in this city and, stating their grievances,
asked to have them adjusted. In their re-
port they held that their present wages
were those of a sweatshop, and that they
received nothing for overtime. The
union" according to their claims, is one
yard in length, and for the first few monJ hs
a girl can hardly complete one in a day,
and that they felt justified in striking be
cause the flag was being stained with
blood before il reached a battlefield
Before any adjustment could be arrived
at the girls returned TO work because Of
lack Of funds and employment. They
found that their places had been filled by
[ beginners who were struggling to learn.
The strikers allege that because Of the
fact that the green hands could hardly
turn out three complete and acceptable
unions in a day, they, the experienced
hands. were allowed TO return and given
( 80 cents per union" an increase of
/ cents.
! AS matters now stand, the girls claim
/ that the beginners are able to average one
/ union" per day, or are earning from 80
! cents TO so cents per day. The experienced
/ hands state that they are not at all salts
( fed, as when the new hands are able tc
make any progress they, the strikers, will
! probably be forced to stand a reduction OF
leave as their places can then be filed
I 1t is claimed by the girls that the senior
partners son has the whole contract de-
partment in charge and that the senior
Z partner disclaims any influence in the
matter.
1t is probable that the girls will form
/ an organization in the near future They
claim that it is true that the girls in tht
sweatshops in New York obtain a mere
+ pittance for manufacturing flags for thc
/ War and Navy Departments, but hold thai
/ this is no reason why they should mo-
I receive fair wages in Washington,