New-York tribune., 1921-01-24
Clothing War
Not Justified.
Says Leiserson
Arbitrator Asserts Dispute
Between Unions and Em.
ployers Was Caused by
Manufacturers Minority

The war in the New York clothing
industry is wholly unnecessary, ac-
cording to q, report made to Governer
Miller, to Mayor Hyland and to the pub
lie through the press by DIR. William
N. Leiserson yesterday. DR., Leisels on
was impartial chairman to lass on
matters calling for arbitration in the
New York clothing industry until
about two months ago, when the agree
ment between the Amalgamated Cloth
ing Workers of America and the Cloth
ing Manufacturers' Association of New
York was terminated and the present
cessation of work resulted.
The impartial chairman says that
he is not passing judgment oa the uis-
rute between the employers end the
union. The employers demands for
improved conditions were Justified in
many respects and there Was a good
deal of justice also in the position
taken by the union, DR.. Leiserson re-
ports, adding:
But these things could have beer
adjusted without a strike. The strike
was was not caused by any of these con-
ditions. 1t was brought about by a
few people who had determined there
saould be no agreement between the
employers and the union"
! In his report, which, in addition to
teing sent to the Governor and the
Mayor, was forwarded to the State IN
dustrial Commission, Secretary of
Labor Wilson and other public officials,
he charges that the strike was precip
tated by an outside lawyer, who il
Lamed, and small group Of manu-
Yacturers, "who misled their ass ,c, a.
tion and committed their fellow mem
bers to a policy with which they are
not in sympathy and from which they
to do SO honorably."
1t is said in the report that after a
Plan had been worked out by Sidney
Hlllman, president of the Amalxamated d
Clothing Workers, and Major B. H.
Citchell, at that time labor manager
for the clothing manufacturers asso-
citation. which, according to Dr. Leiser-
son, would have increased production
in individual shops in New York from
10 to 40 per cent, that this plan was
side-tFacked and wrecked by several
members Of the market committee of
the New York manufacturers.
DR.. Leiserson, in his report, also
says:
"The employers wanted their labor
costs. reduced in order to enable them
to compete with other clothing mar
kets and to attract business to New
York. The union proposed q Joint in
yestigating committee to find out what
the labor costs actually were and to
make such adjustments as might be
necessary to reduce labor costs to this
proper basis.
"ln this issue no fair-minded person
who has the interests of the community
and the industry as a whole at heart
can find anything that may not be
settled by negotiation and adjustment
Moreover, a majority of the employers
in the manufa cturers' association, as
we'll as the union and it's officials, were
anxious to avoid strike or lockout
and desired to continue peaceful rela-
tlons. Under such circumstances a
labor war such as is now going on, with
all that it invo- YES for the community
and the industry has no Justification
In answering the question as to who
IS responsible for foisting upon the
clothing industry and the City of New
York an industrial war, when appar-
entity the issue at stake was simple
Dr. Leiserson points out that full
responsibility for this cannot be placed
on the union, since the manufacturers
against the advice of their association
continued to steal help from one an.
other, and thus created an artificia!
wage level. In this connection he says
The former president Of the Cloth
ing Trade Association, then chairman
OF the market committee, himself, af-
ter the manufacturers had solemnly
pledged themselves to stop the sky
rocketlng OF wages, opened new shop
RICNMoNp: Na.--The COHEN Co.; L.