Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-12-24
MISTRESSES OF
MILLIONS ARE
STRIKE LENDERS
MISS ANNE MORGAN AND MRS. O.
H. P. BELMONT WILL DEFEND
SHIRTWAIST MAKERS.
DECIDE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.
Society Women to Provide Legal De-
Tense for Those Arrested While
Doing Picket Duty.
THOUSANDS OF WORKERS OUT.


THOUSANDS OF WORKERS OUT.
NEW YORK, Dec 20.-Miss Anne
Morgan and Mrs. o. II. z. Belmont,
mistresses of millions, appeared today as
duly authorized labor leaders, charged
with the responsibility of directing i'll
part at least, the strike Of the 10000 girl
shirtwaist makers here Miss Morgan IS
the daughter of j. Z. Morgan.
These two women, III conference with
officers OF the union, decided Sunday on
definite plan of campaign, which they
believe Will result in victory for the
strikers. a statement was given to the
public saying that the two society lead
ers VIII provide adequate legal defense
Tor all members of the union who are ar
rested While doing picket duty, and Will
personally take up the work of directing
the strikers
Mrs. Belmont expressed herself as i'll
dlgnant at the manner in which the pO-
lice are alleged to have interfered with
the strikers.
At Miss AIorgan's suggestion, a call
has been issued for volunteers to act us
watchers III the neighborhood Of the
shops where the strike is in progress.
These watchers, many of whom will be
prominent society women, will report
upon the facts concerning arrests and
be ready TO testify on behalf of the
picketS.
L. b. Lyman, president of the Manu-
facturerS association, severely condemns
the action of Mrs. Belmont, Miss Nor
gan and other wealthy women in espous-
ing the cause of the strikers, declaring
that they are doing the girls harm
and merely prolonging Il little longer the
strike, which but for the interference
would have died a natural death by this
time
Strike in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Dec. 90
Following the example of sister workers
in New York, several thousand shirt
waist makers of this city went on strike
today for increased wages and better
working conditions
In accordance with the programme
laid out at three largely attended mass
meetings Sunday night, the members of
the Ladies Garment Workers union re-
ported at places of employment at the
usual hour and were accompanied by Il
large number of sympathizers. Excited
10y the enthusiastic meetings of the pre-
Vlous evening, the members of the union
mad difficulty in applying themselves to
work until the time agreed upon to strike
had arrived. Promptly at the appointed
hour they left their work benches and
machines, and reported at strike head
quarters.
Mrs. Belmont has been for several
days raising fund for the support of
the strikers during the tie-up. The first
Sl52o, which Mrs. Belmont turned over
to the Women's Trades Union league
was contributed by the following per,
Mrs G; P. Huntington. 2 East Fifty
eighth street 81 on
Frank A. Munsey Fifth avenue and
Mrs. John nni j. T Emery East stx+x 2oc
eighth street ..... 7o-
Thomas B. Clarke, East Fortieth
Mrs oliver II. P Belmont. A. Madt- !"
Sidney Harris, 6 Wall street. .... ~
1o'a' -. .'.'...... 81 %
Her Appeal for Funds.
In her appeal TO the public. issued
through The World, Mrs. Belmont as
citation, says:
appeal for funds to assist the girls and
women of the Ladies' ShirtwaIst Makers
union, because they must be provided Win
1000 1000 ana shelter while the arbitration OF
their grievances is going on. These shirt !
waist makers have had no work for three
weeks, and according to the rules of labor
unions, assistance cannot be given until |
they have been out for SIX weeks
The wages of most of them have been 50 /
low they could not possibly save anything |
able to lay by a little are refusing to take
outside aid, and those who have come TO an !
agreement with their employers and re-
turned to work are depriving themselves OF |
food to help the ones who are still ont In !
the name of humanity these women must
t De assisted until they can get back to worS /
through which they were enabled to live |
honestly, even if far from comfortable !
The union demands a fifty-two- hour week
- u. IN. 10 p. m, Saturdays, a. ~ to |
p N. During the rush season the girls |
must not work after D. IN. Girls under
~ are running power machines all day and |
the strain of overtime is too great for |
their health, Many factories are working |
four nights week overtime. and on Sun,
days until noon or or O'Clock
In some trades even skilled workers have |
a long season Of unemployment so that
the average wage is low. The danger of /
turning young girls on the streets for two |
three and sometimes five months in yea.
is obvious
Wage Scale Misleading.
Wages differ according to the character
of work and the factory, but as low as s.
per week is frequently paid. Big manufac,
turers show their wage scale to prove high |
wages, but it is very misleading
The union demands the abolition of the
inside contract system, which brings ab0nt |
the worst kind of sweating in the CITY a nj !
cannot be controlled by the factory in |
spectors In some of the largest and b,st |
factories the manufacturer gives to the |
inside contractor a certain amount of work /
at a certain price and the use of from two
to twenty machines.
The inside contractor then EMPLOYS immi.
grants to run these machines At the end
of the week he is paid, and out of the sum-
he pays those he had personally employed i
and this wage is as low as it is possible 10 !
keep it, often but $3.50 a week. The en-.
ployer thus has the advantage of bigb
wages appearing on his books and no re. |
sponsibility for accidents from the ma.
chimes.
The union demands also that the employer
Shall pay for thread, needles and STRAPS for
the machines, which in many instances the
glr-S must now pay for out OF their scanrV
wages.