New-York tribune., 1912-01-03

TO SPREAD TO BROOKLYN
Proprietors Organize to Fight
Strikers, and Say There Is
Nothing in Trust Talk
Union for Better Wages.

The members Of the Steam Laundry
ne-'s Association. which was formed on
Monday nieht at Terrace Garden by
owners of laundries which do rough
starchins ana }. uGering, began TO shut
down their pan > Yesterday. julius
Langfelder. pres dent of the associa
ton. said that all their laundries would
he shut down to-day. Louis Leowin-
stein is secretary and James Brown is
treasurer Of the ASSOCIATION. which. they
say. controls ~ per cent Of the rough
laundry work in this city.
According To the union leaders, the
strikers numbered from $4,000 to 22OOO,
and in less than two days the strike
would include Brooklyn. and $1,000
would be involved
In reference so the negotiations to
form n trust OF laundries to control the
trade in Manhattan. Brooklyn, The
Bronx and part Of New Jersey. which it
was proposed the banking firm OF Bache
& Co. was 20 stand behind, w. J. Woll-
man. the NON per Of the firm who took
the prlnclr,i rart in the negotiations,
said
These laundry firms brought a prop
ostion To us for tho consolidation Of the
firms of rough dry laundry owners, be-
cause their present way of doing busi-
ness was wasteful. they said. We should
have been their bankers IL the plan had
gone through. but the terms they pro-
posed were not satisfactory to us and
several things in the proposition did not
appeal to us For instance some Of
the laundrics we're to sell out, but the
prices asked seemed TO high. Nothing
a. accomplished hut this combination,
II II had been effected, could not have
controlled the entire rough laundering
trade, as man with comparatively ,llt-
tie capital can 20 into n. This was one
Of the thous IA md one propositions Of
the klnd that are constantly coming be-
fore us"
Talk Of Raising Price.
Mr.. LangfelGer was asked about the
proposition 20 form a trust. and said II
was an old story and had nothing 10 do
with the strike. The proposed combina-
tion. which did not take place. was in
tended, ne said. TO enable the laundry
workers to work intslligently I'm trans
acting business.
a meeting OF -, members OF the as
race Garden. Thore was a division OF
sentiment. apparently among the mem
bcrs as TO the best method of procedure.
Some were insfavor Of raising the prices
and then dealing with their employees.
and others we're for fight TO the finish.
Representatives. OF strike breaking
agencies were on hand and talked 10 the
employers Some OF them said later that
little more nerve would help some OF
the employers. There are two other as
sociations Of laundry owners, one COM
posed OF n few OF the owners OF large
rough laundry plants. who also do their
own ironing. and the Washington Club.
whose members contract for work for
lOltlS, ItSldul anus anu ldllIphhS' VI
the Steam Laundrymen's Association
President Langfelder said last night:
"Our members will stand together
Nearly all the laundries Of our members
have shut down and the rest win shut
down tomorrow. Under the intolerable
conditions which the strikers proposed
through their leaders we would have no
profit left They would not give us time
10 see If we could meet new conditions.
Their ultimatum was sign an agree
ment at once or there can be nothing
done The figures given by the leaders
of the strike as to wages are mislead-
ing They bunch up the wages of learn
ers with those who have learned tho
trade.
Wages Of the Workers.