The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-12-30
First Day Sees About 100000 People
idle With as Many More Ex.
pected to Join In the
Walk Out
WANT WAGE INCREASE
Demands Also include Sanitary Shops
Eight Hour Day and Abolition
Of the Sub Contract
systsm.

tunited Press Leased Wire Service.I
NEW YORK. Dec. 30.--A general
strike OF the garment workers and
tailors unions OF New York city is
on today, following the decision reach
ed Saturday night after several meet
ings of the various committees and
a mass meeting OF the workers. There
was no walk-out, the workers merely
falling to go to their shops. The NUM-
ber of persons who will be idle today
lie estimated variously at from $4,000
to 125.000.
More than 1900 pickets assembled
today at Clinton hall to receive In
structions from the national and local
executive committees OF the United
Garment Workers.
The strike 40 far lis confined to the
makers of outer garments for men
and boys, but under the patronage or
Mrs o. H. p. Belmont and Mrs. Rose
4 Pastor Stokes, and other wealthy
prominent women, plans are under
way to have the Ladies' Waist and
Dressmakers' union join In the strike.
If this Is accomplished the strike
} will be the greatest clothing strike in
J the history OF the country 1t Is said
} the feeling among the women workers
J is decidedly in favor of striking.
The demands Of the striking gar
ment workers include. An increase OF
: from is to, 20 per cent In wages, an
: eight hour day full pay for overtime.
I sanitary shops, no sweat shop Or tene-
ment house work, and abolition OF the
! sub-contractor system. The mnnufac-
+ turers are preparing to answer the
demands OF the labor leaders with
public statement today.
The organizations affected by the
), strike order. with the number of men.
!, women and girls affected. according
: to the strike leaders, are as follows:
brotherhood Of coat tailors. s5,ooo;
!, overcoat and sack coat makers TN
: ions 5000; trousers makers unions.
:. 10000. vest makers union 10000;
= knee breeches makers unions, $500:
!. childrens Jackets makers union, 5000;
: boys refers union, $500; pressers I'M
: ions, 10000; lithuanian tailors unions,
1000; custom taslors unions, 5000:
: cutters unions. 5000; and in addition
the strike leaders allege thore was
:, added to the list more than 10000
= men non-union workers In more thar
four thousand shops and factories
). = capitalized at s4o.0oo,o0D.
= The strikers demands summarized
- are as follows:
= Increases from Is TO 20 percent In
wages; an eight-hour work day with
!, all overtime paid for at the maximum
a rate; sanitary shops and the complete
=. abolition of all sweat shops and tene
ment house work; abolition OF the
sub-contractor system; abolition o
child labor; a minimum wage OF s1l
week for women and SIC weei
- for men: abolition of footpower ant
gas-pressing machines.
1h Out In the Rain.
= NEW YORK. Dec. 3o.--In coll
l. downpour OF rain which drenche
"a them to the skin. the men and wome
os garment workers OF New York and TIL
- surrounding cities, affiliated with th
United Garment Workers of Mort
America, went on strike today to Ell
force demands for the shorter wor
day, increased wages. and 6anitar
e.l working conditions.
In The strike for time completed
ar paralyzed one of the biggest indu
me tries of the city, but the employer
uc- association, which is acting as un
to