The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-22
GROWTH OF CLOAK
 AND SUIT TRADE
By HOLLAND

New York January 21-(SpeciaD-Ma millions are invested in the cloak and suit industry of New York. In fact, it has grown so rapidly within a few years that the industry is now looked upon as the most important single industrial oc- cupaton in this city. It numbers many thousand employees. In the past oc- casional differences, followed by strikes, have occurred. but in all cases these have been overcome with comparative ease. Now a new situation has arisen and, outside of it's industrial aspects, it has no little political significance. The man ufacturers of these garments entered last June into an agreement with the unions which are strongly represented among the employees the agreement to last three years. The manufacturers now in pub- lie statement assert that although the contract is but six months old, the union has disregarded this agreement and de- mands a further increase of wages, eduiv- alent to 90 per cent threatening to call strike unless the manufacturers yielded. The unions, according to the manufac- turers, ignored the claim in the contract which declared that strikes were not to take place because the wages were fixed in June so that they became 50 per ceet greater than the minimum scale. Now the manufacturers are appealing to the public, clearly intimating that they will tOoN4 or at least a s1ong as the manufactur- CTS receive the moral support of the pub- lie that increased wages of the workers and increased prices of coats and suits are desirable.
 The public has complained of the high cost of garments of the kind represent ed by this industry. The manufacturers have insisted that, although wages nave been increased production has decreased
 aofn combined to entail the high cost of the garments
 A LONG STRUGGLE
 Apparently long struggle has begun, the manufacturers insisting that they will not yield to these demands no mat ter what the cost to themselves may pe' Many of the employees are upon strihe and assert that they will not return to work until their demands have been ac- Cepted, overlooking the fact that siA months ago they entered into contract with the employers not to strike III other words they appear to have broken their contract
 Anart from the great cost and possioie permanent demoralization Of thls great industry in Jew York city there IS ln- volved a political question which, IL Is understood, may result in one or tue most important issues of the presidential campaign which is to begin next sAh-
  he'd of somewhat insiduous but none the less threatening influences. which are pe- ginning to sway many of the working neople of the United States strongly to- wards the adoption of the soviet form H, government.
 This influence has been discovered In several of the recent labor d1sturpances' If lurked. as is believed by business men in the demands made by the leaders or xain oueerly engineered strike brought on by the leaders of the unions in the steel industry It has been discovered to ex- ist among some of the employees in the shoe manufacturing industry. It is clearly one of the influences in the agitation which some labor leaders have made which appears to have for it's purpose per manent government ownership anu oo" trol of the railroads.
 THE SOVIET POLICY
 The soviet principle, as it is uncr stood here. is aimed chiefly at the ulti- mate annihilation of capital Those who lahor with their hands are to receive all the earnings of industry, of transporta- tion or of mining. Therefore business men have been in consultation recently with some of the political leaders, at present chiefly the leaders of the repup- lican party, since the democracy has not
 
 in the presidential politics of this year The consultations have had for their ob- feet the bringing of the issue before the American people. The issue should he made in the presidential campaign of this year. business men say, based upon the noint. shall the American people subrkt to the adoption of the soviet policy or shall there be taught such lesson to those who favor that policy as connplete- lv to destroy their influence and termi- nate their insiduous propaganda which it is feared, is spreading rapidly among a certain class of workingmen.
 Conferences are already planned be- tween the abler politicians and some who have made by their capital. their en- ergy and their individual initiative Amer .ican industrial life what it now is.
 Very likely as result Of these con ferences agreement will be reached where by the issue will be clearly set forth certainty in the republican platform, and it is hoped also in the democratic plat form. It is with much encouragement that leaders in industry have discovered that not 30 per cent Of the men wno work with their hands or with both their hands and their brains are affiliated with organizations into which the propaganda of the soviets has been infused. Judge Gary puts the figure higher than 5o per cent. being satisfied that not more than 70 Ter cent of the American workingmen ars in any way associated with those among whem this propaganda IS being spread. In view of this 1act, 1T tne ,ssue he met promptly and firmly busi- ness men believe that there can be no