New-York tribune., 1916-07-25
Peace Made After
Long and Bitter
Session.
COMPROMISE ON
THE UNION ISSUE
Men Reserve Right to Go
Out if Agreement Is
Broken.

The manufacturers and garment
workers reached an agreement just be-
lore midnight last night after a long
conference in the Metropolitan Tower
Tie a-rcement will be presented TO the
general strike committee. where there
8 practically no doubt Of its accept
snce. and by the members of the COM
nittee viii be presented to their va
nous croups for ratification.
Up 70 the last minute of the meeting
there was doubt as TO whether the
agreement would go through. The even
ing session was a critical one. It had
been thought earlier in the day that n
final agreement had been reached. This
tame to grief on the old issue OF the
rion shop. The workers held out for
sn out-and-out union shop, without re-
rari for contracts that the employers
nigh, have with non-union men.
Union Issue Handled.
n the final agreement which will be
presented 20 the strike committee there
is no reference to this last dispute. 1t
is declared that union men shall re-
.eive preference in employment and
hat union members are to determine
the standing of new employees. AS to
The non-union employees already at
work there is not word. This was
taken 20 mean that on that point at
east the employers had won.
The employees reserve the right u
strike in case Of any violation Of the
trreenert by the employers. The
manufacturers assume full response
bilitv for their contractors. both as 10
wages and shop conditions. Both Mr.
Hillouit and Benjamin Schlesinger'
president Of the union, regard it as
victory for the workers.
"The right TO strike is a radical de-
rarture from the settlement under the
old protocol" said Mr.. Hillquit at is
in the nature Of an experiment. No
one can tell how It will work until he
has seen it in practice. 1t seems GER
tain, however, that the employees and
the employers take equal chances. The
union has every right to feel well salts
fed with the result. Not only has it
eained material advantages, but the
educational effect on the community
cannot be overestimated. ! believe 1t
will be a lasting peace"
Mr.. Schlesinger said he thought the
workers would be back in the shops to-
morrow.
~, is a great victory" he said.
Both sides made important conces-
sions in the contract. The union gained
basic increase in wages. while the
EMPLOYERS succeeded in simplifying the
existing methods of arbitration and
determination Of disputes. The matter
Of preferential shops" was conceded
BY the employers in so far as 1t relates
10 the hiring Of union workers. No
provision was made. however, to en-
force IT,
Manufacturers Claims.
The Cloak, Suit and Skirt Manufact-
urers' Protective Association, the en-
poyers' organization, through its
counsel. Louis S. Levy, claimed a vic
tory for the manufacturers in the
agreement. Mr.. Levy pointed out that
the union lost not only the principle
Of arbitration for which it has been
contending, the protocol and council
Of conciliation. but in addition the
preferential shop principle would be
restricted TO the act Of employing
Little doubt was expressed that the
condition Of the workers had practi-
eally forced them 10 accept the agree
aent although there were many VINO
would be dissatisfied with it's terms.