The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-10
JnKER IN new TAILORING LAW
uuJCH THE UNIONS SNEAKED
THROUGH AT ALBANY. a..

In which a Man or . Woman Sews for
tlothier-Enect Is TO XIII on Out.
side Work-InyitatiOn to See Us.
utiIe the tailors Of this city belonging
a. the Merchant Tailors' National Pro-
,ootive Association were congratulating
Themselves on having dealt satisfactorily
9TH oppressive unionism they were startled
Tow DAYS ago by a circular from Com
customer Of Labor John McMackin an
nouncing the existence OF a law to go into
object on Oct. /, which, the tailors declare,
was framed apparently for the sole pur-
,ose of helping the unions by forcing the
nloth;pc workers in fats and tenements into
shops.
ssid Yesterday that the best work turned out
was done by non-union workmen in their
own homes or in tenements and flats.
Under the existing law the tailors
representative said, clothing makers in
tenements are not seriously restricted
as to the number Of helpers they may en-
plov. The unions cannot get at them,
As they stay at home, keep away from
union men and save for their own use the
money they otherwise would be forced to
nav for the support Of unionism. The
owner OF the fats or tenements in which
the non-union workers live do not care
what they do with their time in their living
rooms provided they keep them in good
sanitary condition
The Merchant Tailors' Association has
q representative at Albany, but he did not
discover the true inwardness of the amend
nent to Article VII, Chapter 415 Of the
labor Law, under the title Of Tenement
Made Articles" and that is why the unpre-
pared tailors were startled by the circular.
II tells them that under the provisions Of
the old law licenses were granted to tene-
ment jewellers for their individual apart
ments. The new law changes the system
and provides for the licensing OF the entire
building tenement or shop in the name OF
the owner, thereby placing the responsibility
for the maintenance Of proper sanitary con-
ditions squarely upon the shoulders OF the
owner, enabling the department to deal
with more substantial parties and insuring
IN a fuller measure the Observance OF the
law in these buildings"
The circular published tells the clothing
manufacturers that it is their duty to re-
frain from sending any goods to any I'M
licensed building to be worked upon, or
to permit such goods to be taken to I'M
licensed premises" that they shall keep
a complete register OF names and addresses
written in English, Of the persons to whom
they furnish material to be worked upon
in tenements or shop buildings that
copies of the register shall be sent TO the
Department of Labor on demand that
manufacturers shall obtain from the
Board of Health the names and addresses
of persons i'll of contagious, infectious
or communicable diseases" and that they
shall refrain from sending goods to such
houses if they are occupied by working
H. =. Of nnf mi INF nj
in such tcnements no longer exists.
The Merchant Tailors' Association met
on Thursday night at PAL Fifth avenue to
talk over the new law and to adopt measures
To secure the abrogation OF its Objectionable
features. One of the employing tailors,
who has his best work done by outside
workers in flats and tenements, read letter
he received from the union. saying that, as
the new law went into effect on Oct. /,
perhaps the tailor might desire TO confer
about it. The letter said that the union
was ready to meet the employer at any
time he might designate.
The tailor pondered on the letter bit,
and then took it to f. H. Harris, secretary
of the association, who read it at the meet
ing. 1t was evident, according to the MEM
beers of the association who discussed the
letter, that the union men had been aware
Of the real object Of the law, and that they
hoped it would drive the individual worker
out Of his domestic workshop into the large
shops, where through force or persuasion,
or both, he would find it necessary, to live
in peace. to join the union. In the big shop
the union organizers can readily get at the
non-union worker.
"Of course, said merchant tailor, "the
owners of tenements are going to put the
working tailors out when they find that
they, the owners. will have to pay 81 for
conspicuous place in the public hallway on
the entrance floor of the building to which
it relates and will thus label their buildings
factories 1t is obvious that the landlord
will not submit to a lot of bothersome regu-
lations when he can avoid them by simply
keeping working tailors out OF his building.
The amendments to the Labor law were
sneaked in solely in the interest OF the
union"
The law saws that every tenement where
clothing is manufactured shall be in
spected in every part at least once in six
months by the Commissioner OF Labor 70
determine its sanitary condition, and II
he finds anything that he thinks is not
sanitary he shall at once issue an order to
the owner of the tenement directing him
to remedy the condition Of the tenement.
The section OF the law which, according to
the merchant tailors. was particularly
designed to aid the labor unions is that
which reads
No person shall hire employ or contract
with any person to manufacture, alter. re-
pair or finish any OF the articles named in
tenement house not having license therefor
Issued as aforesaid. None of the articles
specified In this section shall be manufactured.
altered repaired or finished In any room or
apartment of a tene -nent house by, any per
son other than III members Of the family
living therein, whom shall include husband
and wife and their children. or the children
Of either.
This means" merchant tailor said,
that no man may hire in his own apart
ments-that ia, his own home-anybody he
NAV reO,lre to helm him in his work. That
seems to me to be a fragrant violation Of
the rights Of the individual. The law not
only prevents a man from employing any
other person other than a member of his
family to help him in his work, but absolute
sewing for a manufacturer of clothing. A
subsequent paragraph Of the law permits
the seamstress to sew for "a person or