The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-08-06
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. NEW YORK. Aug. 5.--Over one
third Of the $4,000. cloak makers who
went out on general strike about
four weeks ago, are back to work
today under union conditions. while
those still out appear to. have the up
per hand of the situation and are ex-
pected to make the victory complete
any day. .-.:~' .r:.>>,'
Such is the standing of one of the
most spectacular and interesting
strikes in the history of the labor
movements. Without organization or.
funds when the strike commenced,
the cloak makers have been success
full, the only explanation being that
the sweatshop conditions under which
they have llabored has developed in
them "a most remarkable spirit of
solidarity.
> Unlike the famous shirtwaist strike
of last winter, this struggle has not
been hampered by police and judicial
prosecutions. Considering the big
army of strikers, very few arrests
have been made. Some give credit
for. this change to- Mayor Gaynor,
while others point out that the cloak
makers, unlike the shirtwaist workers,
are mostly men, and are therefore
Of political value to the city admins
tration.
There is, however, one similarity
between the present strike and the
one of last winter. And that is in
the way the New York dailies report
the strike. With the exception of the
New York Call, all the other news
papers vie with one another in print
ing the most defamatory and sland-
erous stories regarding the struggles
of the men who would end the
abominable swea atshop system. ~.
Hardly a. day passes but that the
press committee of the strikers is
compelled to put the lie to this. or
that story regarding the conduct OF
the strike, the leaders, or the men
themselves. OF course, these cor
rections are only printed in the la
Dor daily, while the other papers
continue to serve the Interests of the
manufacturers association. =,
The New York Times. while sup
porting the manufacturers. criticises
them for having moved their factories
to lower Fifth avenue. because of
the, ''demoralizing' effect the wealthy
environment has on the poor workers
of the Sast Side. It says: ...''
, '"rhe factories should be placed in
the inexpensive quarters of the East
ESide.ss5Iwhere the hands might have
time and oppoft to s do hefr;
shopping, and where spectacles OF
wealth and fashi0n.would not impress
them with impossible standards: OF
living. And the difference in rem
tails could be applied in a way to
make the issue of the closed shop not
quite so vital" >-
The following words Of the chair
man of the settlement committee
to a reporter. give an idea Of the
moral strength of the big striking
army: =
without rallies or speeches we
have been able to keep our ranks
intact-our people don't need any ora
tory to make them loyal: to. the
union-they are fighting to better
their moral and physical welfare and
the conditions under which they live
are staring them in the face every
day These conditions are enough
to prevent them from deserting the
union"
Leaders of the American Fedora
ton of Labor, who are here aiding in
the leadership of the strike, say that
the gradual abolishment of the sweat
shops here is not only of great >bene-
fit to the thousands Of clothing
workers, but that it is of inestimable
value to the organized workers of the
onfiro oonnfrv