The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-18
COURT RESTRAINS
C0ERCIVE PICKETS
Justice Giegerich Issues In
junction on Plea of Clothing
Manufacturer.

Justice Leonard \ Giegerich in the
Supreme Court yesterday granted an
injunction restraining the Amalgamated
Clothing Workers of America from Co
ercive" picketing. This action followed
the declaration of one manufactures that
the union was trying to force him to
resume his business when he decided
there was no profit in II. At the same
time William Bandler, president of the
Clothing Manufacturers Association of
New York. stated that his organization
has been collecting evidence OF graft
and oppression on the part of lesser
AmaIgamated officials and would pre-
sent 1t soon to District Attorney Swami,
asking for a Grand Jury investigation
into the entire clothing industry.
THE Amalgamated would welcome the
fullest investigation" said Sidney Hill
man. president Of Il Amalgamated
Clothing Workers of America. ut Is
also hoped that the G. and Jury will go
into the matter Of the tldest profteering
and malpractices an fng the clothing
public would be edited by disclosures
that would result from such an investi-
cation and 1t might also learn why 1t
got so little for Its money in clothes
purchased during last year
The Injunction was granted in favor
Of Max Welinsky, who has been in the
retail clothing business at SO Canal
street for twenty years He had been
manufacturing in separate lofts, one
of them at "a Allen street. This was
destroyed by fire on October Z. Welin-
sky decided that as there was such a
slump in the clothes making industry it
would be more profitable to buy the
stock for his retail store from other
manufacturers rather than have the
worries of making il himself
But the employees, according to his
petition, declared a strike when they
learned they would have no more work.
They called out the bushelmen from his
retail store, picketed the establishment
and notified contractors and wholesalers
not TO furnish him with goods or the
workers In their places would be called
out. Welinsky finally applied for an
Injunction against any kind OF picket
ing of his premises. Justice Giegerich
in his decision said:
1T is quite clear that the purpose of
the strike, picketing and other interfer-
ing, is not TO secure any advance in
wages or any Improvement in working
conditions. but to induce the plaintiff to
continue the manufacturing department
OF his establishment, which he has de-
termined to abandon. OF course, the
right of the employees in other depart
ments to cease work for this or any
other reason cannot be questioned. But
neither they nor the other employees.
nor the union to which they belong. can
be permitted to take affirmative action
injurious to the plaintiffs business.
ITO hold otherwise would be to sane
ton coercion In support of a demand
which the employees had no right to
make. I am not lnsenslble Of the hard
ship to old employees thus suddenly
thrown out of work or of the loyalty OF
their fellow workers who seek to come
to their rescue but ! see no justification
under the law for the present attempt,
or the attempt by their union, TO compel
the plaintiff to continue their employ
ment"