New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Garment Trade
Inquiry To Be
Asked of Miller
Employers Counsel Charges
Same Conditions Exist as
in Building; Says Graft
Was Paid to Check Strike
Union Officials Confer
Labor Representatives of
Other Cities Attend: Will
Issue Statement To-day

Councils OF war were held yesterday
by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers
turers' Association of New York in the
dispute between the two organizations
which has paralyzed the clothing trade
in this city and is keeping $4,000 work
ers idle.
The executive board of the union and
union representatives from several
cities met with Sidney Hillman presi-
dent OF the Amalgamated. at the Offices
OF the organization. 81 Union Square,
where at an all day meeting the union
chiefs laid plans to combat the manu-
facturers in this city and in Boston,
where a situation similar to that in
New York exists
The manufacturers met at the Penn
sylvania Hotel, where Harry Gordon,
counsel for the employers association,
asserted after the meeting that instead
OF asking for q grand jury investiga-
ton of the clothing trade, as was an
nounced yesterday, the manufacturers
would call upon Governor elect Miller
Immediately upon his Inauguration to
institute an inquiry into the clothing
trades similar to that conducted by the
Lockwood committee into the building
industry. Mr. Gordon alleged that con-
dltions similar to those in the building
industry maintain in the clothing trade
and asserted that ne knew of one case
where union official accepted $4,000
TO call off contemplated strike. Mr..
Gordon would not so into particulars
Of the case.
Charge Blow at Union Labor
Following their all-day session the
union officials issued a statement to
the effect that the New York and Bos-
ION manuiacturers were taking advan-
tage of unemployment conditions in
the Industry to create lockout "in or
der to strike blow as deadly as pos
sibie at the organization as whole"
1t was announced that general
statement of the situation and all the
measures to be taken by the union, in
cluding financial support, to meet the
New York situation would be made
public day
A: /. Shlplacof, manager of the New
York joint board of the Amalgamated, |
said after the meeting:
Some manufacturers are raising the /
cry that they really want to bring down
the price Of clothes. They try to give
the impression that the workers wages
are to blame for the cost. They do not
want to bring attention to the fact that
65 to rs per cent of the cost could be /
reduced by efficient management. They
have definitely refused the unions eff
fort TO investigate management and our
offer to cooperate in efficient manage
ment They are determined instead to
take it out of the skins of the workers.
"Lock-outs will not bring down the
price Of clothes. Enlarged production
under joint control of workers and +
owners and the installation of efficient
management will make clothes cheaper.
But the present leadership of the cloth
ing manufacturers is not concerned
with the price Of clothes. 1t is out to
smash the union"
Recruiting Agencies Opened
Bene Romano, assistant manager of
the New York joint board, said that the
employers had opened d number of
labor recruiting agencies on the lower
East Side. The agencies, he said were
located in restaurants, barber shops.
tobacco stores and other placs where
workingmen congregate. According to
MIR. Romano the employers were unable
~ cotdiH ohlileu IaDOr 10 any extent,
while union pickets were succeeding in
persuading most Of those who enter the (
manufacturers employ to quit their
Jobs.
The following officials of the union
attended the meeting, which will be /
continued to-day
President Sidney Hillman and Cen
eral Secretary Joseph Schlossbcrg and /
tEe following executive board members:
August Be.lanca, Hyman Blumberg,
Samuel Levin, Lazarus Marcowit., An
zuire D. Marmpietri, Abraham Miller.
Peter Monat, Sidney Rissman, Frank
Rosenblum, Mamie Santora, Nathan
Siegel, Stephan Skala and Thomas ~ /
arski In addition the following officials
were present: A. I. Pearlman. manager
Of the Rochester Jbnt Board; H. D.
kosenoloom, manager Of the Toronto
JOINT Board; Paul Arnone, manager of
me New York Shirtworkers' Joint
Board; II. Madanick, manager of the
Philadelphia Joint Board; A. l. Shipla-
con, manager Of the New York Joint
board; /. kantrowitz, manager of the
Cnildrens' Clothing Department of the
New York Joint Board; J. Goldstein
organizer of the New York Joint Board.
Gustave Strebel, organizer Of the Roch
ester JOINT Board; Aldo Cursi, of Roch-
ester; Leo krzycki, organizer of the
x'o+io'o J0lht BOARD, and Philip De
Luco,' organizer of the Philadelphia
Joint Board.
When told Of the intention Of the
employers to ask for a legislative in
yescgation Of the clothing industry
following the adjournment Of the meet
ing hr. Hillman said
i have already stated that we vel
come. any investigation. But doubt
whether the employers will 20 through
with II. / beieve that their talk Of
gfatt In the industry is simply so much
propaganda"