The Connecticut labor press., 1919-07-12
GGARMAKERS ON STRIKE IN
 MANY CITIES ~~%@ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A~~~
Largest Number Out in History of Trade-New York, Boston,
 Manchester, N. H.
NEW HAVEN GIVES HELP
Local Votes $250 for Porto Rico Strikers-Union Is Winning
 in New York.

This country is now experiencing the largest strike among cigarmakers that has been known. New York leads with 30000 out, Boston men went out this week to the number of 2,000, there are 800 on strike ill Manchester, N. H., and in Porto Rico over 5000 are out. At the meeting of the New Haven Local on Tuesday night it was voted to give $250 to the fund of the strikers in Porto Rico. Assistance will be given to other cities when 1t Is required as generous assistance was received by the New Ha- ven Local when its men were on strike.
 F. A. Grube, secretary of the New Haven Local, yesterday received a let ter from [. Van Vaerenewyck, vice president of Local No. o7 of Boston, in which he said: 'The manufacturers have gone into the press with the Per kins letter that was attached to our application. We have made an answer to the statement. We are in this fight to win and the morale of our men Is such that they will not accept any com promise I believe that when stated that the boys in New Haven would stand by us I did not make mistake"
 Henry Abrahams, secretary of Local 97 of Boston wrote as follows:
 @ Boston July 6. Friend GrIibe: K.
 Situation hera is unchanged. All the large shops are otG, even the appren- tices. Do you get Boston papers in New Haven? Manchester is still out. Are you keeping in touch with the situation in New York? We are going to win. It may be little longer than we se1e-1 pected but we are in this for flnlsh; All are happy and confdents will s
 HENRY ABRAHAMS.
 "P. S.-The office is filled with news paper reporters.
 The following statement was sent to Secretary Grube:
 we are demanding 13 7-11 per cent. increase in wages and right to have grievance committee in every shop said committee to supervise all discharges of cigaEmakers and packers, subject to an appeal by the member of the local union. We are merely asking for some thing which many trades in and around Boston already have in operation and which has proved successful.
 "The manufacturers try to make it appear that the cigar makers are re- sponsible for the high cost of cigars. Here are the facts:
 Tn 1917 the cigar makers received $16 a thousand for making 10-cent cigars. The manufacturers wholesale price was $50 per thousand. Cigar makers received $1050 per thousand for making five cent cigars. The manufacturers whole sale price was $32 per thousand. At present we are receiving $1080 per thousand for making 10-cent cigars, an increase of $3.80. The manufacturers wholesale price is $o0 per thousand, an increase of $50 per thousand. We are receiving $12.65 per thousand for mak- ing hve-cent cigars, an increase of $2.15 per thousand. The manufacturers' wholesale price is $52 per thousand, an increase of $20 per thousand. Now we ask you: Who is responsible for the high cost of cigars?' The fact that we, The cigar makers of Boston, spend $15,000 annually to advertise Boston made cigars is conclusive proof that we are doing eevrything in our power to maintain the cigar industry in this city.
 ."Strike committee: William Collins, chairman; Morris l. Becker, secretary i; Louis E. Henderson, Jack Mendoza, Charles Muensch, John Van Vaerene- wyck, James De Ben-'