New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-01
$4,000 TAILORS
rOQUIT JOBS THAT
HANG BY THREAD
Coat Contractors Demand
Sewing Material from
Manufacturing Firms.

While mediators appointed by the
Federal government are attempting to-
day to bring about settlement in the
strike of the city's garment workers, a
lockout Of $4,000 coat tailors will so
into effect in 43S shops, If orders issued
yesterday by the United Coat Contract
ors' Association are followed out.
Word came from Washington last
night that the Labor Department had
appointed Ethelbert Stewart, Assistant
Commissioner of Labor Statistics; John
A. Mofitt, Of Orange, n. j., and Charles
". Mills, a Philadelphia coal operator,
as concilators in the garment strike.
They will begin to-day their efforts to
bring about settlement.
The appointment Of the Federal
mediators followed a new appeal for
government intervention, which was
said 20 have been headed by Henry Nor
genthau. kilograms sent 20 President
Wilson, Secretary Redheld and Secre-
tary Wilson, Of the Departments Of
Commerce and Labor. by Lazarus JOS
eph. counsel for the Greater New York
Independent Cloak and Suit Manufact-
urers' Association. repeated the urgent
request for Federal aid, and declared
the manufacturers were not responsible
for the lockout.
This organization has been at all
times ready 10 arbitrate any questions
in dispute between its members and
their workers." the telegram said.
Continuation of the present labor diff
ficulties will bring starvation to I'M
told numbers and tend TO destroy the
entire cloak industry"
The keynote of the demands of the
$4,000 coat tailors, according to Isaac
Fleischer, manager of the United Coat
Contractors Association, is not higher
wages or better hours, but the ques-
ton, seemingly at first glance unimpor-
tant, Of who shall furnish the cotton
and silk thread for putting the coats
together.
"The main thing that we demand"
said Mr.. Fleischer, "is that we mus.
have the servings from the manufact-
urers. We demand cotton and silk.
The manufacturers send us the front
and back and sleeves to make up the
garment, and with this we must have
cotton and silk, or the garments can
not be made up. We refuse any longer
to furnish the servings"
The contractors declare the expenses
of their business are so high they can
not continue work under present condi-
tions. They say they will keep their
shops closed until the manufacturers
come to terms. Several conferences
have been held with the manufacturers
during the last three months, without
satisfactory result.
The official list of demands issued by
the Contractors Association is as fol-
lows:
Full servings should be given by the
manufacturers TO every contractor for
every garment.
The price fixed should be kept until
the agreement expires.
Each manufacturer should have as
many contractors as grades Of work,
and as many contractors 10 the grade
as necessary.
Every contractor should be regis
tered in his grade of work
All troubles should be settled by the
representatives. Of each association, and
If they cannot agree, the case should
be given over to grievance commit
tee which shall consist OF two manu-
facturers, two contractors and the rep
resentatives Of each association.
Payment for the work should be
made TO the contractor not later than
three days after same has been deliv-
cred.
Mitchell MAY Act To-day.
Mayor Mitchell is expected to make
recommendations to-day regarding the
settlement Of the garment workers
strike as a result of the report made
20 him by strike leaders. The strikers
have $4,000 pickets still actively at
work.
Several thousand Italian cloakmakers
attended q mass meeting yesterday af-
ternoon at Webster Hall, on East Elev-
enth Street. and chose +. II. La Guardia.
Deputy Attorney General of New York
State, as their legal representative in
the strike. Mr.. La Guardia was instru-
mental in bringing about a settlement
Of similar difficulties in 1913. A COM
mittee was selected TO arrange for ef-
ticient picketing Wednesday morning,
when the employers announced in their
recent ultimatun that they would re-
oman thar cbon.