The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-27
1.-THE PROTOCOL or PEACE"
Its alue to Employees and Manufactur.
crs I'm the Cloak and suit Trade.

crs In the Cloak and suit Trade.
To THE EprroR OF The SuN--Sir'
The assertion OF Commission WOOL
lens In THE SrN that the protocol OF
peace" In the cloak and suit trade was
an attempt to make water run up hill
was undoubtedly intended to impress the
casual reader with the idea that the pro
tocol is an ignominous failure. Let us
observe what II has done In the three
years e has been In operation and care
fully look into the present difficulty TO
ascertain whether the protocol has really
failed dismally to bring about an ideal
relationship between the employer aAd
! the employee.
Begin with "Commission Woollens's"
initial contention that the price OF
garment making under the protocol has
constantly advanced because OF the pro-
! vision requiring the separate pricing OF
each new style. This system Of pricing
Is imperative, for the manufacture OF one
garment Of a certain style may require
| Ave times the time and skill necessary for
another.
| The protocol has Its faults, and many Of
| them. and Commission Woolens' did
point one out. the method of price fixing.
But had he listened to the testimony OF
the two parties to II In the hearings at
| the City Hall certain IL is that he would
not have found splitting" by the arb-
| traitors an irrcmedable defect. making
|
| board OF grievances. before which all such
matters come up for decision. is const-
| tuted Of an equal number OF representa-
| tives OF each Of the two factions. move
ment Is now on foot to have an impair
tial chairman preside over this governing
body. with full power to render just de-
| csions in the event Of a deadlock.
The question OF out of town movement
can be answered very easily. 1t IL not
the protocol that has caused the removal
of our smaller cloak manufacturers to
| surrounding towns and villages. II liz the
very sordid and simple questions of rent
ais. sanitary requirements Zone OF the
evils OF the protocoD. higher cost of
| labor, because more skilled. and higher
| living cost. a mere matter OF economies.
Cloak and suit making Is a seasonal
| trade The worker who during the rush
| season could earn $40 10 $50 week
would in the slack period be satisfied with
a wage OF $22. What the union is en-
| deavorlng to do is necessarily a reduction
| of wage to the perpetual worker but on
the other hand q "godsend' TO the opera
tive without employment. All but the
relative and personal friend or worker
with pull" would he the benefclarles
OF n plan by which all would be employed
throughout the year for curtailed work
ing days.
As TO the sub manufacturers the family
shops. true they are beyond the control
OF the protocol but Is that to their adj
vantage? What II there in the protocol
so pleasing 10 the constituents of the
Cloak. Suit and Skirt Manufacturers Pro-
tective Association? What n there IN the
| uncertain Jewish labor market that en-
ables the protocol bound" manufacturer
TO insert the shipment guarantee clause
in his contracts? WHY pay $3.50 a year
to the Cloak Suit and Skirt Manufac-
turers Protective Association and he a
protocol bound" manufacturer when the
alternative il open TO do as the "prosper-
Gus" Gas Commission Woollens' would
have us believe) sub-manufacturer
Answer the protocol
Admitting that a good many Of these
sub ma nufacturers OF contractors do Inn
press their fathers brothers. sons and all
IN. "in laws" into service. ] am convinced
that statistics II they were procurable,
would show an average Of probably one
such relative TO the shop.
What is to prevent the suspension OF
operations at the height Of the season
in n sub contracting shop when the rest
less elements are suddenly seized with
the disposition 70 strike" Tho results OF
a long siege are apparent either this par
'icular sub-manufacturer IL forced into
bankruptcy or he loses a seasons business
and customers and every cloak manu-
facturer can testify to the ease OF secur-
ing lost trade.
Thus far no clamor has been heard
from manufacturers about the scale OF
prices. OF course there are differences,
but they are settled. and not on split
ting basis either
IL ~ an incontroNertible TACT mat never
before had the legitimate cloak n'anutac-
tnrer or New YORK prosper'd as ne mas
during the last three years under the
protocol.
''ommisson Wooi!ens suggests mat
real arhltrato on he iuanGurat'i, IN"
which would take cognizanrr OK 'ondl-
tons AS they are, including the drN f"pds
and labor markets ana which would allow
lower rates 10 he paid Tor cheap ana me-
dunn garments thdu Tor the hiGh"r class
Every huttonhole maker ana hn'sher
N the trade knows that there ~ no stand |
and price on cIu-iks. entire suits or skirts
for the Very good reason above mentioned. /
that the stNl" ana other variations would
make uniform price scale irohihitiNe.