New-York tribune., 1919-11-24
Big 6" Votes
To End Strike
Under Protest
5000 Printers, After Stormy
Meeting, Agree to Accept
International Order Send.
ing 'Vacationists' to Work
Fear of Open Shop Cause
Minority Assails Mandate
and Threatens to Continue
Fight for 44-Hour Week

Three thousand members of Typo
graphical Union No. 6-"Bix Six"-
voted under protest yesterday to obey
mandate issued by the executive
council of the International Typo
graphical Union to return to work this
morning.
Leon H. Rouse, president of "Big
Six" read the mandate at a mass
meeting which jammed New Star
Casino, 107th Street and Park Avenue.
The order, which held out threat of
fine and suspension of charter in case
of disobedience, was greeted with a
storm of Kisses and catcalls
President Rouse said he regretted
that an occasion had arisen where he
was compelled to read the mandate, but
that he had nothing to do but obey.
When the floor was thrown open for
discussion men jumped up IN all parts
of the hall to protest against it's terms.
Mandate Assailed
Edward F. Cassidy, secretary Of the
"vacationist" compositors in the book
and job trade, was cheered for five min
utes when he made an impassioAed ap-
peal for the printers to "stand pat" and
not "crawl back" to the employing
printers, after seven weeks of sacrifice
He said foreigner" now work on g
forty-four-hour week. while conserva-
tive, intelligent members of big g.
are working forty-eight hours. The
"Big 6" members on vacation" went
out in sympathy with locked-out men,
bers of the outlawed pressmen's and
press feeders unions. They also have
wage and hours grievances of their
own.
After several other "vacationists'
leaders had expressed their views,
President Rouse, John S. O'Connell,
secretary, and Theodore Douglas, local
organizer Of big Six" united in plea
for the acceptance of the order.
At the end of two hours discussion
the matter was put to vote. The
count was taken by q show of hands
and it was estimated that three
quarters of the men and women pres
ent had registered their intention Of
obeying the mandate.
Minority to Continue Fight
The minority body Of "vacationists" S"
then announced that they would hold
mass meeting at 3 o'clock this after
noon at Webster Hall, on Eleventh
Street, for the purpose Of continuing
the fight, in spite of the international
and their own officers and fellow men,
bers. Prolonged cheering and stamp
ing broke out at the announcements
The "vacationist" officials expressed
confidence after the meeting that s
large number Of the printers woul(
disobey the mandate. "To-morrow'.
meeting will decide how many men gt
back to work." said Charles Bogart
"vacationist' vice chairman.
The mandate, whose text was with
held from publication, stated that the
executive council, fearing that the opei
shop and non-union conditions would
be established if the men stayed ou
any longer, ordered that Typographical
Union No at the meeting yesterda.
should instruct its members on "vaca
tions" to return to work Immediately.
The mandate stated further tina
"Big SKIS" officers be instructed t.
submit to arbitration the question o
the time that the orty-four-h hour weel
shall be inaugurated in the jurisdiction