United labor bulletin., 1914-11-07
Garment Workers

The eighteenth convention of the
United Garment Workers of America
came to close in Nashville, Tenn, on
Saturday morning, October Il, at 1890
after five days of strenuous labor for
the benefit of the organization, says the
Garment Worker, official paper of the
organization.
The efforts that We're made to bring
discord into the convention proved a
failure, and following the departure
from the hall of the boiling delegations
good feeling and unity prevailed. From
district councils and from local unions
of garment workers in all sections of
the country came friendly greetings,
showing that whatever disaffection
there might be in New York City the
membership in general We're not in sym
pathy with the movement that sought
to overthrow an administration OF its
affairs that had been SO successful in
its upbuilding during the past ten years.
The number of delegates seated in the
convention was 206, but about "a de-
cided to throw their lot with the oppo-
sition and bolted. thus leaving the large
majority of 1872 to conduct the business
of the convention; and they did this
with an energy and ability for the gen.
eral good of the United Garment Work
dorsement of the general membership.
Il At the afternoon session of the Sec
ond day there We're interesting dvelop-
ments.
President Rckert stated that the ac-
tion OF some of the tailor delegates at
the morning session in creating a dis
turbance and in their leaving the con
vention was prearranged. this being
borne out by the evidence in his pos
session.
Following this statement Delegate
Frank Doyle, member of the general
executive board, requested the privilege
of the floor on a question of personal
privilege, and it being granted, he dis
closed facts as to the methods that the
opposition was pursuing to gain con-
troll OF the administration OF the United
Garment Workers of America. 1t was
story of duplicity and dishonesty that
had startling effect on the delegates
He stated that he had been offered the
position of president OF the organiza-
tion if he would lead the forces of the
opposition against the present adminis-
tration. They had sought to do this in
many ways by flattery and by appeals
to incite his ambition. The lawyer of
the opposition, Jacob Panken, used his
best efforts to influence Delegate Doyle
W ucbIt Lie DuU Tie Qel-
egate plainly stated to him that he was
not in sympathy with the most bastard
iy attempt that was being made by GER
tain lawyers, BARRIERS, ex-newspaper
men, etc, to wreck great trade union
which has ever been made in the his.
tory of the American labor movement.
There were no contests and all the
old officers were reelected as follows:
T. A. Rickert, general president.
B. A. Larger, general secretary.
All the former members of the gen.
erai executive board were reelected
without opposition.
The delegates chosen to represent the
United Garment Workers at the Ameri,
can Federation of Labor convention were
Maier Schwartz, Miss Margaret Daley
and Victor Altman. These delegates will
also represent the organization in the
union label department.
Margaret Noonan and Kate Leftwich
represented the Denver local as dele
gates to the convention.