The sun., 1919-09-25
PRESSMEN QUIT, BUT
VOTE DOWN STRIKE
Efforts of Radical Element
Fail and Men Will Return
to Work To-day.
AGREE ON ARBITRATION
Cooper Union Crowded by
Workers.. w. w. Active
- at Three Meetings.

The insurgent Job and book pressmen
who have been suspended by their In
transitional union for their radical de-
mands, quit work at noon yesterday to
vote on the question of an immediate
strike II not granted an increase OF S14
and a forty-four hour week. f.
The resolution was voted down after q
turbulent debate in Cooper Union and an
alternative resolution to appoint COM
nittee to arbitrate with the employers
was adopted. The men will return to
work this morning as the employing
printers association has decided against
q lockout
William Green, chairman of the en-
ployers' committee, said yesterday that
the self-appointed half holiday was
taken in violation OF the rules by which
the union is bound, but that 1t was too
small a matter to call for punitive action.
The meeting in Cooper Union was
scheduled to start at 80 o'clock. AT
1880 the auditorium upstairs was
crowded and half an hour later the hall
in the basement was so damned that the
police refused to allow any more persons
in the building About 1000 men gath
cred in the square outside. Altogether
there were upward of 5000 members of
the rebel -organizations-Locals 81 and
23-at the three meetings. The seating
capacity of Cooper Union is 1880.
While there was much shouting the
crowd was orderly and the efforts of the
radical leaders to stampede the assembly
we're defeated by the conservative ele-
rent "Big Six" has threatened to call
q general strike of all job and book
printers October 1, and as a result OF
arIa VIC decision
until that date.
Publishing houses are seriously con-
sidering accepting the invitation of cities
in the middle West which have bid for
the trade, as they declare II win be
impossible to meet the demands Of their
worlunen.
James ]. Bagley, head OF Pressnen's
Union No. 23 and the leader or the
radicals, said yesterday in reference to
this threatened move that the unions in
Chicago. St Louis. Rochester and else
where would not work for the publishers
and added that If the plants move the
men viii move too.
They win find radicals can be elected
union officials out West as well as in
New York." he said.
Bagley addressed the overflow meeting
and he was loudly cheered when he said
tho workers had passed. I. W. w. agents
circulated through the throng distribute
ing literature and many banners were
displayed
In the auditorium the fight for an
Immediate strike was almost won by
the radical faction. which Is composed
mostly of foreigners. when Bernard
Nolan, head of Local 81. appeared and
reported that the other two meetings
had turned down the proposal A noisy
discussion followed and the resolution
TO arbitrate finally was carried with an
amendment providing for a s14 wage
Increase The meeting broke up at 6
o'clock.
A conference will be held Friday In
the offices of the Employing Printers
Association, 512 Fuller Building, between
representatives of big Six and the
employers. The employers said yester-
day they will not treat with the rebels
until they are reinstated by their union.