New-York tribune., 1921-11-26
State Inquiry
Goes Fully Into
Garment Strike
Industrial Commissioners
Special Committee De-
clares All Phases of Dis
p,lte Will Be Examined
Opening Statements Made
Union Charges Broken Agree
ment; Employers Ask for
Their Right to Discharge

causes Oh the Strlke OF OV.uuV women
garment makers is to be made by the
special committee appointed by Henry
D. Sayer, State Industrial Commits
, sioncr. This announcement WAS made
yesterday at the close or the commit
tees preliminary hearing. after coun-
sci for manufacturers and employers
had presented arguments, together
with the statement that the investiga-
tion had the approval Of Governor
Miller.
The hearing was held in the State
Department of Labor Building, 12d
East Twenty-eighth Street, beginning
at 10 a. m. OF the three committee
men. John D. Higgins: Of !oswsgo,
present. Hugh Frayne, of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, was absent
having left town aver the holiday.
Commissioner Saycr sat in his place.
| Arguments were presented by Max
| d. Steuer, special counsel for the
Cloak. Suit and Skirt Manufacturers
Protective Association, and Morris
tional Ladies' Garment Workers
Union. Present also for the manu-
facturers were Louis Lustig, chairman,
| Max d. Lachman, general manager,
and William Klein, attorney. Ben
janin Schlesinger, president; Morris
Sigman, first vice-prcsident; Abraham
Baroff, general secretary; Meyer Perl
stein, of Cleveland, and Fannie Cohn
appeared for the union.
Issues Definitely Outlined
Both Mr.. Hillquit and Mr.. Steuer,
in their opening remarks, informed
the committee that there would be no
compromise on the issues. raised by
each side. Mr. Hillouit insisted that
! the question was not one of the gen
eral situation in the industry, but Of
the reinstatement of the contract that
was not to have expired until next
year. Mr.. Steuer declared that if the
contract were the only point to be
investigated, the employers might as
well withdraw.
Chairman Higgins finally made this
statements:
"This committee Will investigate the
strike 1t will be ready at the next
meeting to follow any channels of
Investigation that may be opened up.
and it is the opinion Of the committee
that neither party to the controversy
ought to indicate to it the course, to
pursued - l..
IL
missioner Sayer read, a statement in
which he referred tosoffers of media
tion made by him privately atsvarious
times TO establish basis of under
standing in the garment trade. and
which were refused by both
sides. A breach of contract involved
questions of fart, he said, and while
the committee would have no power to
enforce its findings on these facts.
the Governor knew of the connii ssion s
efforts and would lend his aid to eff
feet a settlement.
Judge Seaman L. Northrup. the com
mittee's counsel, read section designa-
tons of the labor law into the record
to establish the committees legality.
The entire session consumed three
hours. Mr.. Hillquit opened for the
union by saying that the union took
cause for the strike.
"Not Piece Work Question
cit is not question Of the general
situation in the industry and the
merits or dement's of piece work. he
said, "but whether or not an industrial
agreement should be observed Is there
at this time valid agreement between
the parties? If there is, it must be
enforced.''
Mr.. Steuer refused to discuss the
merits of particular agreement. The
manufacturers, he said wanted to know
whether or not the system under which
the industry operates is wrong and il
SO, if a fair substitute system coulC
| be found.
Mr.. Steuer declared that if the com.
l mfttee decided the agreement existed
or if it decided that it did not exist
{ no one would pay any attention to it
as there could be no enforced media
: tion. The workers, he said, had de
= manded an increase in wages in 1926
t owing to the increased cost of living
and after the intervention of the Gov.
4 ernor, while the minimum wage hae
: not been raised, there had been an in
n crease in pay.
t Mr.. Steuer then attacked the two
: weeks trial system, saying that work
e ers often did $40 to $50 worth of worl
during trial and then after they were
n hired dropped to half that production
: The union even wanted to say wht
d should or should not join the manu-
n facturers' association, Mr.. Steuer de
clared.
/. "How far shall the right of dscharg,
{ be restored to the men who owns tn,
t businessg" Mr.. Steucr asked. "Run ;
: clothing or dressmaking factory il
e New York and you will find that 20,
q have not the right of discharge"
I The attorney then ridiculed tn
charge of the union that sweatshop con
ditions still prevailed. He had worke,
in sweatshop himself, he said, AM
1 knew that none existed now.
Replying, Mr.. Hillquit referred t.
\ the injunction suit the union is pre-
4 pairing with the assistance of Samue
Untermyer, saying that injunction
= obtained by the employers had cncour
: aged the union to try the same remedy
: | More Return to Shops
T. "Our industry has been investigate,
s by the best minds in the country" MI
d Hillquit said. "The agreements reache,
v have lasted about nine months eacl
@ time, and then the manufacturers said
Let's sit down again and talk it over
d We must see, before making any ney
d agreement, that the employers will con
+ slider it binding"
d He corrected Mr.. Steuer by sayin,
c that in 1920 the commission appointe,
a by the Governor had advanced the mini
k mum wage rate.
President Schlesinger gave the mum
Der of broken agreements as four, in
cluding the present one. He insiste,
that there were sweatshops in Ney
e York, although they could not be foun
: in the Fifth Avenue and Seventh Ave
: nue. model workrooms. They were scat
= tered about town, small sub-contractor
', driving the workers to the limit
:. At the request of both sides, the in
!. \ 4