New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-22
WEEPS At GIRLS TR|AlS'
Rich Audience Hears Strikers
Tell of HardshipS.
PLEA BRINGS ABOUT $500
Gathering at Berkeley Theatre
Celebrates Garment Work
ers' Victory.

I'm Russia it used TO be the Car In
Now York il is the police
nretty little girl striker, pale with
,ho worry and WEAKNESS OF five weeks
80 rickotjns. was telling the story of the
strike 10 large and indignant audience
., the Berkeley Theatre yesterday morn
ing.
trs lanes Lees Laidlaw sat on the
,latform with her arm around timd
Ii,ne sister Miss Fola La Toilette pre-
sided and there were speeches from the
ROY John Haynes Holmes, George T..
Ills MAYOR Of Grand Rapids, Miss. /.
vaude Younger and Miss Gertrude Bar
nun. the directors OF the recent strike.
-Four Of the little girls who were arrested
DURING that strike sat on the platform.
q was fifteen hours in Jail and they
gave me nothing to eat" said one girl.
Il had two oranges and they made me
nav 81 cents for them said her partner
in the experience. Il asked for tea. but
when il came / couldn't drink tin a
horrible tin can-uSh.'
Flora Zuckerman broke down in the
middle OF her speech III YOU only knew.
II YOU only knew" was all she could say
fo- 2 minute or two. while the rich and
tender hearted audience wiped it's eyes,
too. Hers is the same old story of eX-
cessive fines. starvation wages. docked on
every pretcxt, insults from the foreman,
and brutality from the police.
People had made remarks, she said,
about the nice appearance the girls made
even during the strike. I've like 10 I've
neat and pretty, Just like anybody" She
EXPLAINED. but this is how VIC do it: We
20 about among the pushcarts at night
and get damaged pieces of cloth Then
We all so home together and sew till
maybe / or o'clock. The girls who
worked on shirt waists helped make the
shirt waists. and the girls that made
skirts helped tho others make their skirts.
That made II easier. YOU see"
How much do your waists cost that
way?' she was asked.
We'll, / can get a real pretty waist for
90 cents
The audience gasped "a skirt-woll.
skirts are expensive. You can't get one
much less than a dollar"
And coats?"
W tiif II . Sill - iN'hS 'H'uSh W NV
with her folks she don't have to buy A
coat. She can take an old suit of her
fathers and clean and press it. Mems
clothes have good cloth, you know. They
make nice coats for girls
The strike among the garment makers
Is practically ended, and this meeting
was in a way. a celebration of victory.
though Miss Gertrude Barnum continued
her pleas for financial support
1t costs s2.Oo0 a day TO support this
strike" she said land these girls won't
cct any pay for ten days. We need
money for the hungry families and sick
sisters and Croccrs bills just as much as
ever"
About 500 was raised in a hasty col
lection.
Miss Maude Younger told the women
they were foolish 10 try 10 get into So
cioty." Society isn't society" she said;
1t is a dead flower, cut off AT the roots.
II has 80 contact with life. Real society
is the life Of these wonderful foreign
elris who are lighting for liberty
The Mayor Of Grand Rapids told of the
strike in mis- city, and cast few refec-
lions upon our wonderful Mayor" who
had convinced him the more he heard
of the East the better he liked the
West"