The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-13
"FIGHT!" GOMPERS
TELLS CLOAKMAKERS
5000 Cheer as He Urges
Them to Resist stand Taken
by Manufacturers.
TROUBLE Is THREATENED

samuel Gomrers. president NJ the
American Federation o; Labor. vas
chsered b, $4,000 members of the Cloak
and Skir'mskers Union IN Madison
souar, Garden Yesterday afternoon.
when he called upon the unions 10 fight
,he Cloak Manufacturers Protective As
s.-.aticn. which has ~abroRated the Ave
wear protocol under which 10000 work.
.s IN the needle industries have main.
tanned amicsble relations with their en-
ployers
" propose said Mr.. Gompers. 10
.',nd shoulder To shoulder in battle
array. not FOR var but fer peace. but
sny enemy will An us determined 10
fsht every inch. every minute. every
touf. every time to maintain he high
esr ASPIRATIONS Of the ,oilers Of our coun-
Try
sThs protocol IN question, which pro-
vidsd for an filtration board to settle
disputes. Wa terminated by the Cloak
Manufacturers Association a few weeks
$50 on the grounds that the unions had
.a''ed TO control their members and that
~ terms NJ the protocol had been
violated by iHdividual shop strikes.
The f~reNzie' crowd inside the Garden
srd - ooo c'he~ workers unable 10 get
n assembled 10 voice a protest against
,ha acton Of the manufacturers Their
sneakers accused the District Attorney
al The manufacturers Of conspiring 10
d. 'roy tha' unions, largely because
three union men were arrested recently
o. murder charges growing out Of strike
troubles 1, was openly predicted that
tr,ub's will follow unless the manufao-
tursrs heed Gomrers's warning.
NJ Gonpers I'm his address related the
d.tlils 81 the long tight against thu cloak
ntnpfacturers in an effort 10 re, IN.
protocol signed in the FIRST place and
nov effective It had been for the last
n ears He denied that the unions
III no' controlled their members The
70" snop strikes To which the employers
objected. ne said. were unavoidable, hu:
peTe better than a general strike Of the
cloak makers. which had paralyzed the
Industry every year or two before the ar
t@'rlt.on agreement
I'D they dbrogate for fear that the
sroitrition board would decide against
them shouted Mr.. Gompers. II don.
know the employers real reason. Is !:
That they believe that the unions can
be smashed The labor 10Y ment wants
10 extend rs power and influence e."
good The labor movement does not
DEPEND for success or for life upon agrco.
r,ents and protocols. II can live an |
prosper and succeed in spite Of the
breaking Of protocols. | hope the spirit
o. the members of the unions will teach
tn employers that the unions can't te
crushed the solidarity of the masses ~
the workers can't be broken by the an.
~roEation of A protocol"
Resolutions unanimously adopted at
the meeting denouncing the arrest Of
union workers and accused the employ
ers Of beIne in league with professional
strike breakers and notorious criminals
The abrogation az The protocol at this
tine when several minor matters were
pending before the arbitration board
was charged as a deliberate provocation,
an abandonment OF pretence OF fair PLAY
and civilized dealings and a wilful cha
lenge 20 the unions.
w hereby call upon the executive
hoard If the International Ladies Gar
rert Workers Union and upon the joint
hoard Of the cloakmakers unions" tho
resolutions state. TO exert every effort
Of the organizations to maintain the
standards OF life and work which we
have conquered through wears Of strug-
fle and sacrifice and we hereby SOL
EMMY hind ourselves 70 support them in
surh efforts TO a man and with all
me means and resources at our COM
rand