New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-04

Re'allcrc say That prices are SILL
too high. especially prices of the bet
ter class of garments. Manufacturers
reply. that prices are as low as they
making garments is reduced The dis
pute on this score has been going on
for months, in spite Of repeated price
reductions. AS the season advances
and buyers continue to use great eau
ton, keeping out Of the market as
long as they possibly can, manufac-
turers are beginning to feel that some
thing must be done about the labor
situation.
In the women's apparel industry it
is pretty generally agreed that the
problem must be solved without the
reduction of wages. This attitude is
subject to change without notice, but
up to the present it has prevailed.
Tie union, which is among the strong
est in the United States, would Ger
tainly resist with tremendous force
any attempt to reduce wages. The
are in a position to test their strength
on this issue. Moreover, they say,
they have no particular desire to re-
duce wages. They want the. men to
earn good living, they declare, but
they make one stipulation: They want
each man to produce a larger number
Of garments. They feel that since their
labor problem apparently is not to be
solved by the reduction of wages, the
only way out of the difficulty is an in
crease in the production of each man.
Contradictory Situation
Combined with the present market
conditions, this desire for increased
production has led to strangely con-
Trajectory situation. For, while the
manufacturers are clamoring for each
man to do more work, they haven't
enough business to keep their factory
forces active at the present rate OF
production.
The cloak and suit manufacturers
began actively to attempt a solution
Of the labor problem last April. The
Cloak, Suit and Skirt Manufacturers
Protective Association. an organization
Of manufacturers who deal directly
with the retail trade, let it be known
indirectly that it was preparing to
make an attempt to cut labor costs.
This association consists largely OF
big manufacturers of the higher grade
of garments. 1t is one of the strong
est in the apparel industries, and the
entire trade looked to it for leadership
in the matter of labor.
A long series of secret meetings OF
the associations ways and means COM
nittee was held. The trade press
printed fumor after rumor of the drss-
tic action that woud result from the
conferences. Finally the manufactur-
ers came to an agreement and issued
a proclamation inviting the union to
series of conferences, and announc-
ing that the association would take
drastic steps TO win an increase in the
hoArs of labor, the revival of the right
to discharge (which the union had
long denied) and q number of other
demands aimed at the reduction of Ia
Dor costs.
Upon the issuance of this proclama-
ton it was felt in the industry that
a strike was imminent. The mans
clothing trade was at the time engaged
in protracted conflict, called lock-
out by the union and strike by the
manufacturers. 1t seemed likely that
the women's wear trade would join the
fray, especially since it was between
seasons and factories were not active.
Form Joint Board
Union and association appointed
conference committees. and amid great