New-York tribune., 1918-01-15
Hebrew Trades to
Ignore Ruling of
Labor Federation
Bitter Fight Predicted on
East Side Following
Decision

The United Hebrew Trades, through
it's executive board, has decided to
ignore the ruling OF the Buffalo con
vention of the American Federation OF
Labor that it must seat delegates from
all unions affiliated with the Federation
and cease its support of the pacliist
Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union,
made up of seceders from the general
labor movement.
This decision follows two conferences
with an arbitration board on which
Samuel Gompers, president OF the
American Federation, sat as umpire
In consequence the executive council
of the Federation at its February meet
ing in Washington is expected to de-
clare effective the vote of the Buffalo
convention ordering all affiliated unions
to withdraw from the United Hebrew
Trades.
Predict Bitter Fight
The immediate effect of this action
labor men expect viii be the bitterest
union fight the East Side has ever
known. with the radical, pro German
element bending every effort to keep
alive the United Hebrew Trades and set
up an independent Jewish labor move
Ment that will be Socialist in the ex~
treme.
To prevent such tight the strongest
men in the United Hebrew Trades, led
BY Benjamin Schlessinger, il.terna-
tional president of the international
Ladies' Garment Workers Union, used
all their influence at the Buffalo con-
vention to prevent q vote blacklisting
TIE United Hebrew Trades. On Their
promise that the organization would
change its ways the convention gave 1t
until next north in which TO reform
and provided for an arbitration board
to pass upon all questions III dispute.
l. also provided that the executive
council should order all unions to qult
the United Hebrew Trades unless the
desired reforms We're made effective
This board held two sessions at the
Hotel Continental, the last q week ago.
At these meetings the case against the
United Hebrew Trades was presented
by a committee of the Central FEEDER
Robert p. Brindel. The case of the
United Hebrew Trades was presented
by committee headed by Max Pine.
The main bone of contention was the
seating Of delegates from the United
Garment Workers in the United He
brew Trades. This organization, one
of the oldest in the federation, has
been loyal in its support OF Samuel
Gompers's policy Of supporting the
COVE rhment in the prosecution Of the
war rhe representatives. OF the Cen
tral Federated Union insisted that this
union must be recognized.
Decides Against Demands
Max limestone, assistant secretary of
the United Hebrew Trades, admitted
yesterday that the executive board had
decided to refuse to agree TO the de-
mands of the Federation.
The United Hebrew Trades said
he. SIS standing where il has for two
years past. 1t does not officially recog-
nize the ANA lgamated Clothing " Work-
ers. and it viii not recognize the United
Garment Workers. The executive board
holds that this is a jurisdictional fight
between two unions. in which the
United Hebrew Trades has no part"
Repre- sentatives of the American
Federation of Labor said yesterday Y
that while the United Hebrew Trades
may yet decide 10 yield TO the demands
of the parent organization. there
is no question as to what viii follow
failure to do so. Whether or not the
Federation would establish a new cen.
trail organization to replace the United
Hebrew Trades no one could say. the
prevailing opinion being that with the
organization of the East Side the neec
for such a body had ceased. and tina,
its continued existence really dupli
Gates IN part work that is better done
by the Central Federated Union.