The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-20
APPEAL FROM THE BAKERS.
Their Trade Wants Protection From
ExtortIOn and Blackmail.

VoutS IVtVNNiOu EIVtn
Extortlon and Blackmail.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUS-Str: The
recent controversy In the cloak Industry.
wherein the laborers appealed to the
manufacturers for arbitration, leads US
to Invite your interest In "A matter of
primary Importance. wherein the shop
Keepers plead with the workmen for
similar provisions assuring arbitration.
This condition prevails in the baking
industry. and. II not so prominent in the
public eye as tho cloak industry. is
even more serious and more deserving
OF your most powerful efforts for its
ainclioratiun.
Several locals Of the Bakery and Con-
~fectloncry Workers International Union
OF America control about a5 per cent.
of the Jewish bakeshops In New York.
The owners Of these shops are forced
to apply to divers rendezvous or head
quarters Of these locals once a year
to sign certain agreements" The
owners Of these shops bind themselves
to pay union wages. TO employ union
labor exclusively and to conform to
every other rule In the contracts they
sign. The member OF the various
locals, on the other hand. have no obli-
gatiore to fulfil. Fpr 36i days OF the
ensuing year the owner OF the bake
shop is at the mercy Of so-called walk
ing delegates who reign supreme and call
strikes without warning at any time or
any hour.
~ such times circulars are printed
exhorting the general public not to pur-
chase from that particular shopkeeper.
open air meetings are held In front OF
his door and any workman or customer
who dares 10 ave any dealings with
the shop on strike is attacked and
assaulted.
The general public. hearing only the
b.assed harangue OF the agita:ors. in
clines toward the union" and it does
nor take very long To reduce the poor
victim to utter ruin. This condition has
been the cause Of more blackmail and
eNtortlon than has ever been perpetrated
in any other manner. Investigations
have slpwn that thousands and thou
sands OF dollars are the annual booty
Of conniving individuals or walking
delegates who enter "A bakcshup and
threaten to declare "A strike II the owner
does not Immediately pay a fine" The
bounded baker. facing ruin and with
no other alternative. is compelled to
muster together the tribute dema nded,
usually the cash receipts 4 the day. and
pay the 'hne' levied on him.
only recently one Of the walking dele
gates was sentenced 10 from three and a
hdlt 10 seven years by Judge Mulqueen
on n charge of eNtortion. This was an
exceptional episode, Tor generally the
victim does not prosecute the criminal
for fear Of getting into the bad graces
OF the union. The revelations concern
ing this system Of blackmail ma0ie at
the trial were ~astound'ns. For here the
ringledders and perpetrators are thor
oughly immune. They do not parade
IN their true %colurs, but work their
Vaccinations under the suise Of labor
leaders. These occupy Of
nee In the union and bear the repute
Of martyrs who make sacrifices to bet
ter the conditions OF their fellow work.
men, thus always receiving the sympa-
thy OF the public. And when one OF
them is apprehended and prosecuted
pubic sentiment Is manufactured which
sends UP q hue and cry about fran "
up and secret alliance between cIpi-
talists and the authorities 10 crush the
labor movement.
Not only have hundreds Of small
Jewish tradesmen been mulctsd most
roguishly III the past, but many of them
nave been ruthlessly driven TO the wall
and annlhilated, The number of bake
shops is continually and alafmingly de-
creaSing' IN" trade Is slowly but surely
Delng Sohhlrd up by DIG monopolies who
employ ~non-union labor exclusively, be-
cause they are great and powerful
enough TO nght the eVil exploiters OF
the union.
We appeal to you. Use your honor
able influence and ynur powerful good
name 10 help us individually. and also
the members OF the labor unions and
ne much abused community at large.
THIS stat. OF affairs could he eliml-
mated TINS bIackinall and extortion
could he stopped Immediately. not by
the law or prosecution. but by the power
OF public sentiment
Take away from the walking dele
gate the power Of calling a strike! II
influential citizens would use their