The New York herald., 1921-05-25
LEGION BADGE BANNED
AlHslS Versus Natives of I.
z. Is Battle Alignment in
Garment Trade.
RUSSIAN SOCIALISTS LEAD
Amal@amated Is Determined
TO Destroy United Workers
BY All Means Possible.

This is the third of the series
OF articles OF THE New YORK HER
AID analyzing the industrial cloth
ing situation in New York. The
articles will be continued through
out the week.
You can't be a good Amalgamated
worker and al the same time belong
to the American Legion"
This is the decree which returning
war veterans. members of the Anal
gamated, heard when they sought to
recover their jobs after their discharge
from the army.
one of the chief arguments put for
ward by the leaders of the Amalga-
mated Clothing Workers Union when
they demanded the reduction of the
working week to forty-four hours was
that in this way when members of
the Amalgamated who had been
drafted for war service returned to
look for their jobs there would be
more jobs open due to the smaller
amount Of work accomplished by each
worker in the shorter week.
Here is the experience of a returned
Amalgamated veteran. Bernard Cohen,
who fought in the Argonne, on the
Meuse and through ST. Mihiel. He re-
ceived his discharge April 1, 1919, and
after joining Meade Post of the Ameri-
can Legion-he was a sergeant in the
First Field Artillery. Twenty seventh
Division-decided TO go back TO his
old Job as a cutter in his brother-in-
laws tailor shop al S17 Broadway. the
Matchless Speciality Company. run by
Sol Cedar & Sons.
Cohen, who had volunteered for SER
vice before he was called in the draft,
found quite a little trouble in getting
back his working card from the ANAL
gamated Cutters Local A. to which he
belonged. When he got the card. his
button showing his membership in the
American Legion was pointed at.
You'll have to get rid Of that" he
was told. When he ignored the order
he found himself up on trivial charges
before the shop chairman. Finally HI
was taken to task by one of the business
agents Of the union, who met him in the
hallway Of the building. -
Take OFF that button" he was told.
II you don't YOU can't work You
can't Dc a good Amalgamated worker
and at the same time belong to the
American Legion.
why not" inquired Cohen.
Never mind why" was the answer
Choose between the Legion and your
Job. First thing YOU know / suppose
you'd be out shooting Us down. your
own brothers in the union, If you were
told TO-, Don't let me see that button
about you again and keep away from
the Legion or you'll get hurt"
Cohen. who Is the sole support OF a
crippled mother and helpless father.
chose 70 keep his job. and dropped the
Legion, for he says, he knew the Anal
gamated meant business when he got
this warning from the business agent
Vow, since the strike. he has been work
Ing despite orders to quit the job and m
consequence has been attacked three
times, the last time at noon on Monday
last In the hallway OF the building.
where he was pointed out By a walking
delegate as o 'scab' and hit on the
head with a wrench. Seven stitches were
taken IN his scalp. His assailant es-
capped. but the walking delegate was ar
rested and held for examination next
week in Essex Market Court
This incident is related as throwing