New-York tribune., 1919-09-17
International 'OutId,Us'
Pressn,en's Union Here
President Berry announces the
Formation Of Ne,o Locals, Fol-
Io,ping Unauthorized Strike

George l.. Berry, president Of the
ants Union, came to New York last
night and "outlawed" those members
Of the organization who seeded from
it following the body's refusal to
sanction their strike against the Pub
fishers Printing Company.
"The charters of Pressmen's Union
No. 81 and Franklin Union No. 23 have
been forfcited,' said Mr.. Berry. "New
charters have been installed. We pro-
pose to solicit pressmen and feeders
to associate themselves with the new
unions and with the international or
ganization. Those who believe in
American principles and American ira
ditions arc welcome; those who be-
llevc in revolution and B0lshevism are
unWelcome."
Bolshevsts or not, we have ma
jority Of the membership of the in
ternatlonal union with u.s." said John
j. Crlmmns, secretary and treasurer
of Franklin Union %. lowing to Mr..
Berry's mismanagemcnt, the interna-
tional union on June 30 last had debts
Of S126,02243 and cash in bank of
$1,17572 We Will starve the inter
national QUIT won't take long,
EXcIuded from a. f. OF l..
The forfeiture of the striking unions
charters means their exclusion from
the American Federation of Labor 1t
means, also, in Mr.. Berry's opinion,
the launching by the strikers of new
"soviet' organization of workers in
the printing trades whose object it will
be to discredit the conservatism Of the
A. f. of L. and inaugurate super radi-
cal policies of an un-American nature.
According to James J. Bagley, presi-
dent of the Franklin Union, and Mr..
Crlmmlns, the strikers have no quar-
rel with the American Federation Of
Labor, but they have very serious diff
ferences with Mr. Berry-differences
which make it impossible for the ma
Jorty OF the members of the Inter-
national Pressmen's and Assistants
Union to retain confidence in the or
ganlzatlon while Mr.. Berry remains
at It's head. Mr.. Berry became presi-
dent lit, OF the Pressmen's Union in 1907.
NO Gar or Kaiser ever was as
autocratic as he has been in managing
union business" said Mr.. Crimmins
yesterday, while score of strikers
nodded approval. 1.-THE first thing he
ana was to alter the system Of choos-
ing national officers from the direct to
the electoral plan. He formed unions
or MS friends and carried them around
IN his vest pocket. They have as many
votes as any local with thousands Of
members. The result is we can't get
Berry out. His friends outvote US.
Appeal Made in Vain
when, with the passage Of time. he
became more and more autocratic, we
Appealed to Mr.. Gompers. We got no
satisfaction. Berry moved the nation
al nC1GCl.ar-Grc Of
erk down TO his home in Tennessee.
He sold the union vast tracts Of land
and established the Prcssmcn's Home
IN an inaccessible targ.e Of woods
eighty miles from Knoxville. Not one
IN thousand pressmen ever have seen
tho place.
"To get down to BelryS part in this
strike dlhcuity, early in April. 1919.
al of the local printing trades unions
Jhe Prnters' League, the employing
printers organization here, that at the
expiration OF their contracts on Octo-
Der l the unions would require q forty
four-hour week instead of fortv
elght-hour week, as before Then the
ilye membcrs Of the board Of governors
Of the printing trades branch Of the
American Federation, including the ma
tonal presidents Of the hookbinAors'
L
tclS' and prcssmon's unions, Berrs- req
resenting the latter, called confer
cree with the Association Of Employ
ing Printers in Cincinnati to take up
the propos of the New York unions.
Quit Rather Than Yield
They agreed with the employing
printers body that the -four-hour
week should not begin until May 1,
1921. When we objected, Kerry came
TO New York and conferred with an
Official OF the Publishers Printing
Company. who is also member OF
the PressWon's Union No. 81, and re
qucstcd him to form new union
ua0or which tho forty ght- hour rrlo
wcu i be adopted until Iav /, l92l.
The Publishers Printing Company al
triDutcd pledge card, which ii de-