New-York tribune., 1921-11-11
10000 To Be Called Out
Here Monday, 10000
in West if Cloak Men
Force Piece Work Plan
~ Senators Wire
Plea for Delay
Manufacturers Meet and
Defy Union; Say Work
ers Won't Answer Call

strike in the women's garment
trades that will close down every shon
IN New York seemed certainty last
night. This was indicated by the al
most unanimous vote of the Interna-
tional Ladies' Garment Workers. Union
IN rejection of the piece work proposal
OF the Cloak, Suit and Skirt Manufac-
turers' Protective Association, and by
the unaltered intention of the manu-
facturers, following the strike vote, to
install II piece work in their factories on
November ID.
Twelve members of the United States
Senate telegraphed the manufacturers
last night suggesting postponement
The counting of the strike referen-
dunn ballots cast on Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday was completed yester-
day afternoon by the joint board of the
cloakmakers' unions at 40 East Twenty
third Street. When the tally was fin
ished BENJAMIN Schlesinger, interna-
tional president, gave the figures out at
once from his office at 81 Union Square.
Vote Almost Unanimous
There were 38,s34 votes cast" he
said, "38,672 voting yes and 1862 mo,
making the vote in favor of a strike
practically unanimous.
IF the employers attempt to carry
out their piece work plans on Novem-
ber Id strike will be called"
The strike, if it takes place, will in
volve about 5000 shops and factories
and will affect 10000 people in Greater
New York. Of these shops 800 arc
members of the Cloak, Suit and Skirt
Manufacturers Protective Association
A majority of the others are owned by
sub contractors who work for the bip
factories in the association
With the calling of strike in New
York, others will be called in Chicago.
Philadelphia and other cities. Mr..
Schlesinger said yesterday, as soon as
the manufacturers make their piece
work declarations effective. More than
100000 will be involved.
IL Senators Urge Delay
A telegram signed by twelve United
States Senators dispatched after con-
ference in Washington yesterday be-
tween Secretary of Labor Davis, John
T. Moffett, Commissioner of Concilia :
tion; Hugh Kerwin, of the division of
mediation; Schlesinger and Elias Refs
berg, of the Waist and Dress Union of
J. kS
Suit and Skirt Manufacturers Associa-
tion here. 1t asked for two weeks de-
lay, saying:
eve, the undersigned Senators of
the United States, are deeply con-
cerned by the threatened strike, on
November ID, of 100000 garment work
ers of the United States. In view of
the present industrial conditions, such
strike is unthinkable if by any means
it can be avoided. In the interest of
humanity and the country, we would
appeal to you to rescind for two weeks
your demands that are to become oper-
ative November IA, so that confer
ence can be arranged between the rep
resentatives of the Manufacturers Pro-
tective Association and the garment
workers union whereby the differences
existing between them may be dis
cussed and adjusted"
Continuing, the telegram said that
the actual differences might not be as
great as they appeared and that COM
promise could be reached. The tele-
gram was signed by Senators France,
Kenyon, Watson, of Indiana; Spencer,
Rursum, Gooding, Fernald, Reed, Nc
Cumber, King, Frelinghuysen and
Weller.
The message had not been received
last night, the manufacturers said.
Manufacturers Stand Firm
Early last evening the officials of the
Manufacturers Association held a
meeting at 2S5 Fifth Avenue. A. E.
Lefcourt, the spokesman, gave out a
statement which said:
"There will be no turning back from
our decision, and there can be no
turning back, for only in piece work
can we find a solution Of the ills of
the industry. Week-work is RESPONSE
BILE for the tremendous decrease in
production, for consequent high prices
of garments and the inevitable slump
in business which follows as a natural
sequence to such a condition.
"Despite this so-called strike vote
on the part Of the international Ladies'
Garment Workers Union, piece work
becomes effective on Monday next. and
we have every reason to believe that q
large proportion of those who seem
ingly voted will stick to their jobs"
In place of the present system, which
(Contnucd pags tour