The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-01-15

The trouble started last July. when
the Geyer Hat Company, of Boston.
was charged by the union with violat-
ing its agreement when it reduced the
wages of its employees. The matter
was arbitrated before a committee COM
posed of three members of the manu-
facturers' association and three mem
bers of the hatters union. The Geyer
company was ruled against and it quit
business in Boston and three weeks
ago opened a factory in Philadelphia.
The union learned that the Geyer firm
was using the union label and protest
ed. The Geyer company app-sieti Il,
the local organization of hat manu-
facturers in Philadelphia and the union
then appealed to the Associated Hat
Manufacturers, and it was at the cor-
ference in the Hotel KnickerbocixH
Manhattan, yesterday. that this appeal
was not only ruled against, but all the
members of the Associated Hat Manu-
faeturers We're ordered to discontinue
the use of the union label commencing
with today.
Manufacturers Blame Unions.
The manufacturers contended that
the union was at fault; that the union
had made an agreement with the Geyer
concern about wages which was vio-
lated by the union when the Geyer
company moved to Philadelphia, and
When the union refused to sanction the
use of the union label, pending the set
tlement of the wage dispute.
Resulting from this is the action of
the manufacturers all over the coua-
try in throwing out the union label
The fight now precipitated is one not
only for the hatters' union label, but
for the hatters' union itself. and for
the survival of all other unions using
a label, such as the printers and cigar
makers.
As soon as it was known that the
manufacturers had ordered the discon-
tinuance of the union label in all fac
tories, the national board OF the United
Hatters of North America met with Ma
tional President John A Moffitt. of
Orange. presiding, and issued an order
to all locals throughout the country to
go on strike as soon as the use of the
union label was ordered discontinued
Moffitt Ont For Fight.
President Moffitt, after the order had
been telegraphed to all locals, said to
an EVENING STAR reporter:
This means fight for the existence
not only of our union. but of every
union using a label. We are abundantly
ready and able to carry on the fight to
the end. We will win because we are
in the right
We did not suppose that such drastic
action would be taken by the bosses.
although relations had been strained
for some time. We have been ready
to arbitrate always and were arbitrat-
ing the Geyer case when that firm in
sisted on using the union label without
permission The Geyer company tried
to avoid the Boston agreement with the
union by moving to Philadelphia That
is the cause of the present trouble"
Samuel Mundheim, owner of hat
factory in Brooklyn employing 500 men
who went on strike today, Is president
Of the Associated Hat Manufacturers.
He said today that the vote to dis
continue the use of the label was unani-
nous and that every member of the
association was either present at the
meeting or was represented by a proxy.
Mr.. Mundheim declared the reason
for this action was that the union
OF employees had failed to keep a
working agreement made with the
Geyer Company. Under this agree
ment he said. the men were to con-
tinuc work until a settlement Of pend
ing uestions were reached, but the men
nit work in that factory three weeks
ago, and have since refused to return.
the manufacturers have been
trying to induce them to de 50.
Mr Mundheim was today asked by
THE EVENING STAR.
Was the Arrangement of ordering
the label from the manufactures of
your organization a temporary affair.
contingent upon the settlement Of the
trouble with the Geyer concern, or was