New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-21
Waist Strikers Say
Disorder Charges
Are "Fairy Tales
Merchants Association Is
Censured by Union Head
for Making Complaints
Without Looking Up Facts

Charging the Merchants Association
with sending fairy tales and unin-
vestigated complaints about striking
dress and waist workers to the acting
Mayor ard to the press, Benjamin
Scnlcsinger, president of the Interna-
tonal Ladies' Garment Workers
Union, yesterday made public letter
he had sent the association.
For the second time during the last
two weeks" says the letter, "the name
Of your association is attached to
statements appearing IN the news
papers of this city containing allega-
tions disparaglng the character of the
striking girls In the waist and dress
industry and conveying an impression
that they ere lawless and riotous. In
each case you base your complaint
upon an alleged receipt of a letter
from one Of your members, usually
and conveniently one rot connected
with the dress and waist industry, to
the effect that their workers are mo-
Tested by the strikers.
Il wonder if these alleged offences
that you have SO eagerly forwarded to
the acting Mayor and to the press
were ever fairly investigated by you.
] am inclined to believe that they were
not. No fair-minded person who is
familiar with the temper and behavior
of our girl strikers during the past
trying four weeks could ever be led to
believe that striking girls. dressmak-
ers, were following neckwear workers
from the lower end of Manhattan to
the Bronx, and threatened them with
bodily violence if they did not stop
working, after they were told that
these people are employed by neck
wear concern and were not in any way
connected with the strike
The face value Of such fairy tales is
obvious to any disinterested person
and should tax the credulity of ever
such people who are very eager tc
help the Dress and Waist Manufacture
ers' Association break the strike of the
girl workers in this industry
Your association, am Informed has
a reputation and standing in this com
munty. 1t appears to me that the lend
ing of your name to such absurd sto
ries is not badge of fair mindednes
and square dealing"
1t was announced that lectures arr
to be arranged for the strike meet
ings. Lectures on social hygiene b,
DR.. Sarah X. Greenberg have beer
started with the cooperation of tn,
social hygiene bureau of the War De
partment.
The wrapper and kimono workers OF
strike. comprising d number of ma
tionalities, are to have lectures pro
vided in Syrian, Armenian, Greek, tai
ian, Arabian, Sephardic, Yiddsh ant
English.
DR.. James P. Warbasse is lecturin!
tonight under the auspices of thu
international Ladies' Garment Work
ers University. on "Cooperation," a
tie Washington Irving High School.
NJ. Avcntietf and his party will re
main in New York for several week.
and then sail for France During thei.
stay here they Will confer with Nine
Breshkovskaya. "the grandmother o
the Russian Revolutions" and othe
antiBolsheviki now in this country. II
the party besides NJ. Aventiotf are
Vladimir Zcnzinoff, former Minister o
Labor and Agriculture; Eugene Rogov
sky, former Minister Of the interior
and Under Secretary of State, anC
Andre Argounotf, former Alternate
President of the Provis onal govern
ment at OmSk