New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-16
SWEATSHOP STRIKE ON.
NINE THOUSAND GO OUT.
East Side Streets Scenes Of Small
Riots Al Day.

The East Side was in a turmoil yesterday over
the strike Of The United Brotherhood Of Tailors
Many streets were filed with the strikers. There
were eight or nine thousand Of them and about as
many sympathizers. ana they kept the police busy
e. Gay
About o'clock IL the morning the strikers began
20 c0ngregate around the corners discussing their
grievances in YIddish. Many meetings were held
IN the various East Side halls, all OF which We're
filed TO OverGoWiuE.
Trouble began when groups Of one or two hun
Gred strikers began paradinE the Streets stopping
e. the ''sweatshops' and Attacking the non-union
men. There was lot Of excitement at the sweat
shop" Of Louis Leicilter, Of No. 81 Ridge street
when twenty strikers entered his place and tried
TO force him 10 close it.
T.etchter had over hundred men working for
him. and nearly all Of them went out. They were
al non-uniou, according Leichter, but were
afraid 10 work When the strikers entered lis shop
Leichter refused TO listen to Them and ordered
lice station
Outside the place We're nearly five hundred more
strikers and about 1,o thousand to three thousand
syTnpathzers When Captain Handy arrived with
the reserves he drove the crowd away and arrested
seven OF the strikers.
BY this time small riots We're in progress from
one end to the other Of the East Side. Nearly every
sweatshop. big and little, had its own troubles
Red circulars were distributed calling upon all the
East Side TO aid in the fight and asking all non
union men 10 Join the unions. Committees We're
busy all day. and il said that over three thou
sand tailors joined the union.
Many OF the proprietOrs Of the small sweat
SHOPS had families large enough. that they have
taken the places Of the strikers. In this way they
wele able to continue business.
= q mass meeting at No. s. Clinton street over
Two thousand strikers were packed into the hall
like sardines. Several speakers were jabbertnE
away in broken English and HiQdish. One Of the
speakers swinging his franucally. The
Cheering kept up all the time but fragments OF his
speech were heard.
Vat We vonts TO do" he yelled. is to Win our
strike. shentlemins ind fellow tailors. We need de
TnlEey and can't work fer such lettle wages. Are
you Virh us 70 de end: We viii fight und fight until
We Win.
We must win ind VIII not lose dis strike vonct
Il viii De a Jsguace NIT union. Dis day viii
always remain vun Of mine hottest memories. II
50 let Us aEht together vonct. ind be true to
WIN ind anuder. I wish you all luck in de end"
Il sounded Is Il the Tower Of Babel had started
into business again a. the headquarters Of the
strikes 1t 10 4 Suffolk street The place IS in
til nel-t OF the East Side Hardly q word OF
English could be heard. although the leaders could
talk English dueutly with stranger.
1--WE do not know just how many men are out
sad one Of the leaders, because our committees
az all 1t work and new shops are closed every
minute As fast as the men go out they go to the
union headquarters and take out their certificates.
T-a demands OF the strikers are for nine hours
anG "a IL Per cent increase IL wages. Some OF the
leaders said that within ten days every non-union
nan would have Joined the union and al sweat
SHOPS on the East Side would be closed up. Inc
strikers say they "-A be more successful IN TINS
fglr than they were three years ago.
That strike was Tor the same demands. Il lasted
several weeks and failed 10 accomplish any 'is.
I'll United Garment Workers Of America lost
their hold the workers, and until the present az
!tarcu there have been only about q thousand
.n.gr tail0rs and scarcely a dozen closed shops
II the district But the officers Of the Brother
hood Of Tailors which is subdivision OF the
Garment Workers. started the new trouble. 49,
TIE nav and conditions Of work on the East S!fe
ar poor But il in the smaller shops mat t1-o
-rc-er wis es.s5 These employ from twenty-five
10 q hundred men and are run by contractors WIZ
bid for work with the Broadway houses
Many Of the large operators. however, reported
90 -r-~,. are several OF the largest plants The
movement extends also To the BrownsFl!e olStIiSt
sn Bro. klvr and 70 Newark.