New-York tribune., 1920-11-09
Half Of Mems and Boys
Suit Makers Shut Do1Cr,
Clothing Manufacturers Face
Strike Of Public Against High
Prices: End rs NOf Yof

An unorganized but none the less eff
fectivc strike by the public against
the high cost of clothes brought to
light yesterday what many believe to
be the first rumbling of an avalanche
of deflaton that is gong to knock
war prices and war wages into a cooked
hat.
Half of the 120 mems and bovs,
clothing manufacturers in Greater New
York who belong to the Clothing Man.
ufacturers' Association hase shut down.
The remaining plants arc working on
part time-half time and less.
This means that about $4,000 cloth
ing workers in the greater CITY are
out of employment and that an equal
number are working not more than
three days each week.
Clothes Will be cheaper in the spring,
spokesmen of the manufacturers as
sert. Just how much cheaper than at
present they will not now predict.
The manufacturers are endeavorinC
to Fix one controlling factor Of costs
by persuading the workers to make an
agreement that will insure heavier pro-
duction for the same sum that is now
paid out in wages. Yesterday the union
representatives returned a flat no to
the PROPOSAL and negotiations will
have TO be started all over again.
More Plants to Suspend
Meanwhile more and more plants are
preparing to suspend indefinitely.
Attention was directed to the situa-
tion when it was announced Yesterday
that 'Frankel Bros, one Of the largest
clothing manufacturers in the metro
politan district, after having already
released 500 of their 1,1GO employees
had decided 70 ciose down Altogether.
no date being fixed for resumption of
business.
The firm sought to allay alarm by is
suing this statements:
"The closing of our plant st this time
is nothing unusual during normal con-
ditions in the clothing industry. 1t is
the termination of our fall and winter
season and there is always slight
lay-otf between the fall and spring
season. We anticipate resuming opera
tlOns as soon a possible'
1t was explained that it was only
during the war and since its end that
the clothing industry has operated all
year round; IN pre-war days only nine
months of the year were busy, there
being two six-week Iay-otfs.
Inquiry, however, brought out the
fact that during normal pre-war days
the Sus spenSlOn between the tau and
spring seasons had been approximate
ly from September l to October 10 and
that at the present time of the year
the plants were accustomed to working
to fun capacity, turning out the spring
goods.
The reason they are suspending, in
stead of rcsuming, business now, it was
admitted is that the manufacturers are
face to face with the problem Of bring
ing to an end the strike Of the buying
public by turning out lower priced
products. They realize they cannot
make this adjustment unless the work
ers accept less money for their labor
and until they know what material
is going to cost them.
Stripped OF all subterfuge, the seven
demands the manufacturers submitted d
to the union and which the union re-
iected mean reduction in wages
The proposal is in the shape of sugs
Goston that piccework be substituted
for the weekly wage now paid in q
great number cf instances, mnd that
the basis for pieccwork be the wage
scale now prevailing m other markets
such as Rochester and Chicago.
The conference yesterday at which
the union delegates vetoed the plan
was presided over by Dr. William NJ
Leiserson, chairman of the industrial