New-York tribune., 1919-09-21
Factory "Cift''
Has $300,000.
String Tied On
Jewelry Strikers Discover
They Must Pay Value of
Equipment to Get Plant
and s'Soviet'' Plan Fades
Call Owners Offer Bluff
Goldsmith Says He Will
TakcTheir Note and Serve
as Manager for E Months

The vision Of soviet factory rule in
New York which arose along Gold
Street and the East River waterfront
on Friday was dissipated when it be-
came known that Goldsmith, Stern g.
Co., jewelers., were really willing to
surrender their plant to the striking
employees, but for 100000. The en-
employees had interpreted the firms
offer, made the day before, to surrender
the plant to them as meaning the plant
would be given them free. and accord
'ngly sent committee yesterday to sec
August Goldsmith, head of the firm,
at its offices, 33 Gold Street, to notify
him that the employees we're ready to
accept the offer, but under ono condi-
t'on-that Mr.. Goldsmith and his part
ncrs clear out Immediately instead Of
remalnlng SIX months as originally sug-
gested.
~ me committee consisted of August
Nemser, Frank Adams, Fred Joose.
Charles Werner and William Kolarik.
they were taken aback when informed
lnat they bad not understood the ocer
properly, that they needed 100000 be-
iore they could take charge. eve are
ready to take over your plant and to
pay you the 10 per cent you say you
are making on your investment" the
committee told Mr.. Goldsmith eve
thank you for your kind oyer Of acting
as our business representative for six
months, but we believe we can get a
better one" The deal was not closed.
Say Others Pay More
in
made the following statements:
Referring to Mr.. Goldsmiths state
ment,, reported in the morning papers,
that he had offered to turn over the
factory to the employees and run it for
them, we have this to say:
We will take it over quite willingly,
If Mr.. Goldsmith will turn it over
entirely and clear out himself He says
he has been making only 10 per cent
margin of profit and cannot afford to
pay us more. There are other firms of
jewclry manufacturers that are paying
100 to 300 per cent more wages than
he does. The international jewelers.
Union has the facts and figures. There
are more than $50 men on strike at
the firm of Goldsmith, Stern & Co.
Their average pay has been S225O
week, whereas the lowest in other
shops is $44 week and ranging up to
$50 for the same kind of work"
The strike committee denied vigor-
ously that the strikers were Bolsheviki.
In fact, they said they did not know
what "Bosheviki" meant. They said
they acted purely under business i'm
pulse in inviting Mr.. Goldsmith and
his partners to leave, maintaining
that the men could run the plant much
more profitably than the firm if the
claim of the firm that it was not max
ing more than 10 per cent on it's in
vestment is true. They denied, how
ever, that this was really the margin
Of profit, asserting that it was much
larger. Later at meeting Of the
strikers in the Pulitzer Building, S. NJ
Beardsley, leader of the strikers. said
that the men were not Bolsheviki, but
that IF conditions continue in the
United States the way they have
been millions will become Bolsheviki
without knowing that they are Boil
shevki." He charged that the firms
offer of selling the plant to the en-
ployes for $300,00O was not made in
good faith. as the firm knew that the
men were unable to raise that sum-
Goldsmith's Version
Mr.. 'Goldsmith's version of the con-
ference between himself and the strike
committee on the matter of the strik-
elS TAKING over Lne plant Is as follows:
~ told them" said Mr.. Goldsmith,
that all they had to do was to buy
the tools, dies and machinery at its
appraised value, | accepting their notes
ana a mortgage on q third and as
Stunning all debts and liabilities myself,
and would give them bill of sale and
see what they could do with it. | also
said | would come in and manage the
place for them for Six months at no
salary, and after that would retire and
agree not to reenter the jewelry trade
to compete with them
I" have been in the business forty
years and have always run an open
shop. Jewelry making is an art and
not trade and should not be invaded
by the unions. Many of my older
craftsmen who love their art refuse to
have anything to do with the unions.
These union men are mad-the whole
country is mad-with 8olshevism."
In reply Mr.. Beardsley said that
"whi lie jewelry workers regard them
selves as artists they do not intend to
share the average artists fate-that of
living on half rations." Mr.. Beards,ey
asserted that the jewelry trade
throughout the country is we'll organ
lied, $50 of the biggest plants in this
city alone being unionized