New-York tribune., 1921-11-15
Silently Drop Work and
Quit Shops for Fight to
Finish on Piecework: {:
Have Fund of 3 Million
Leaders Give Pledge
Against Violence
Manufacturers Say End of
Week Will See Output
80 P. C.. Normal Again

An entire industry stopped yesterday
morning when 10000 workers in the
womens' garment shops of greater New
York quietly laid aside their shears,
needles and pressing irons and quit.
There was no confusion. Instead,
there was demonstration of sort
seldom seen here when the members Of
the International Ladies' Garment
Workers Union silently declined to re-
adjust their labor to the piecework
basis demanded by their employers,
and walked out of the shops.
The time of the strike was set for 10
o'clock, and the shop chairmen in $500
establishments gave the signal prompt
ly at the zero hour" The whirring
Of machines instantly ceased and the
workers went into the streets.
The crowds of men and women
emerging from the buildings as if the
noon hour or the closing time had ar
rived. filled the avenues. Nearly all at
first turned southwark. Down Madison.
Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues they
marched from as far north as Thirty
eighth Street.
81 Pack Madison Square
Thousands of them waved the small
fed-printed posters that announced in
three tongues the instructions of the
union heads. BY the time the bells in
the Metropolitan Tower were announc-
packed. Twenty-third Street, where the
headquarters of the joint board, a few
doors east of Madison Avenue, are
located, was jammed. There was no
disorder. In another half hour the
strikers had begun to head for their
thirty-five halls scattered over the city
Strike cards were distributed bear
ing these instructions:
When picketing keep on walking
back and forth. Obey police when
ordered to move on. Try to avoid ar
guments or disturbances of any kind
In case of arrest call Gramercy 714O
and ask for the law committee"
Benjamin Schlesinger, president OF
the International union, sent letter
to both the Mayor and Police Commits
sioner Enright, offering to cooperate
in the enforcement of any strike rules
the police might frame, telling of thu
orders given the strikers and asking
Tor police protection if needed.
Promise to Avoid Violence
-..e letter says:
Sixty thousand members of the
Cloak Makers Union have this day
gone on strike. The strike was forced
by the leading manufacturers in the in
dustry, the Cloak, Suit and Skirt Manu-
iacturers' Protective Association, which
has issued an order to its members to
lengthen the prevailing labor hours and
to introduce the piece System of work
IN open violation of the existing agree
ment between the association and the
union.
"The union has taken every conceiv.
able measure to conduct the picketins
IN an orderly and lawful manner.
1T has issued strict directions to its
members to refrain from all alterca-
uons, abuses and threats and any SEM
oIance of violence or disorder and not
70 congregate in large numbers. Re-
sponsible union officials will personally
sppervise the picketing lines and see
tnat the directions are carried out fully
and in good faith.
n the police, in the exercise of thei1
euties to maintain public order, should
nsem IT proper to promulgate reason.
aole rules with respect to such picket.
lng, our union will be glad to cooper.
ave with them in the enforcement o1
susn sn rules to the fullest extent.
'on the other hand, the Protective
Continued on page slx)