New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-26
EAST SIDE WOMEN WEEP
Memorial Meeting Held for IrI'
angle Fire Victims.
RABBI WISE A SPEAKER
People of Republics Have Short
Memories, He Says-Union
Decorates Graves.

The second anniversary Of the Asch
Building fire saw $50 ~orment workers.
men and women. gathered In Webster
Hall. I'm East 18th street. to honor the
memory Of the 147 victims Of that dis
aster. Conspicuous in the front row OF
the audience were several East side moth
ers whose daughters were numbered
among the dead.
The women wept continuously. begin
| ming before Nathan Stuphner. organizer
| of the Ladies' Waist and Dress Makers
Union and chairman Of the memorial
| meeting arose To call the meeting TO
order and continuing with fresh outbursts
Of sobbing and moaning throughout his
speech and those Of S Shrovel. member
of the union: Jacob Pankin. ore of Its
officers; Rabbi stephen s. Wise. Morris
| Winchewsky. secretary Of the union, and
of =. III Ncri. who addressed the Italian
! element I'm its native tongue.
But there was nothing TO approach the
display OF emotional hysteria which
marked the memorial meeting a year ago.
For one thing. 1t was p. m. before the
meeting. scheduled for !. had gathered TO
! itself either audience or speakers in suf-
dcient force to justify n beginning
Another source of disappointment was
the almost complete substitution Of Eng
lish for Yddish by the speakers.
Stupkiner spoke in Yiddlsh. lie began
by having every one rise for moment
out Of respect for the dead. and then
he launched into a socialistic denuncia-
ton Of the sins Of capital.
such things" cried he. may happen
every day"
Pankin and Shrovel told their hearers
not 10 let the sacrifice OF all these lives
count for nothing Organize and by their
collective influence prevent the repetition
Of such n horror such was their slogan.
Both spoke in English.
"yVo can't help thinking At times" be-
gan Rabbi Wise. that tho people of re-
publics have short memories. You and /
can't help contrasting this meagrc meet
ing tonight with tho great meeting held
in the Metropolitan opera House when
orr grief was fresh"
Then he depressed a moment Tho
chairman had already asked that the
audience refrain throughout tho meeting
from applause Dr. Wise highly approved
Of this request. ne said. but he thought
It would be cmincntly fitting II the men
also RETAINED from smoking since
smoking was in part responsible for the
Asch fire."
'If you can't stop smoking FOR an hour
out OF respect for tho dead. then you
ought to have stayed at home instead 81
coming to the meeting" he said.
Rabbi Wise thought tho American
people had come 20 have n now Wow ~
tho rights Of working people. as a result
Of the FIRE. He pointed 10 IN" move
ment to establish minimum wage as
an expression 81 this awakened con-
sciousness IIc wanted II understood.
however. that tho minimum wage should
be considered. not M a goal. but "a a
starting point IN industry" and no pro-
tested against linking n with tho subject
Of prostitution lie cxhortod the women
not only TO organize. but 70 struggle for
the vote.
II plead" he closed. TN The name 81
the precious dead I pray that their
spirits may dwell on IN your lives. Would
that the hearts OF the men and women
81 the nation might bc welded together
I'm indivisible solidarity hy reason 81 the
memory Of those who died that We might
llvc-that We might live better and noblcr
livos and understand the oneness of
human life. the oneness OF human wei
fare"
In tho afternoon dozen members OF
the Ladies' Waist and Dress Makers
Union Local -. accompanied by rcla-
tivcs and friends journoyed e. Mount
Sinai Cemetery. I'm Maspcth. Long Isl
and. and decorated the graves OF the fire
victims buried there