New-York tribune., 1921-11-12
Clothing Trade
Leaders Carry
Case to Davis
Committee Of Garment Man.
ufacturers Goes to Capital
for Conference, Accept
ing Invitation of Senators
Workers Chafe at Delay
Union Wishes to Keep Whip
Hand Because Of Heavy
Volume of Work Now On

A committee representing tho Cloak,
Suit and Skirt Manufactured Pro-
tective Association, as a result of the
telegram received Thursday from the
twelve United States Senators who
wish to avert the garment strike, de-
parted last night for Washington. They
will confer to-day with Secretary Of
Labor Davis.
The committee consists Of five mem
bers. They are A. E. Lefcourt, spokes-
man for the manufacturers associa-
ton; Julius Blauner, manufacturers
representative on the joint sub-com-
mittee appointed under the temporary
agreement with the workers that ex-
pired by limitation on November 4;
Louis Lustig, to whom the Senator's
telegram was addressed; Saul Singer
and Henry II. Finder.
The decision to send this committee
to. Washington was made quickly at a
meeting called together at the head
quarters of the manufacturer associa-
tion, at 2S5 Fifth Avenue, yesterday af-
ternoon. At the meeting an answer
olso was framed to the Washington tel
egram, but the manufacturers declined
to give out it's contents.
Union Disapproves Delay
Union representatives met at inter
national headquarters, 81 Union Square,
yesterday, and sat most of the after
noon. After Adjournment Benjamin
Schlesinger, president, gave out copy
OF message sent to Senator'S France,
Kenyon, Watson, of Indiana; Spencer
Gooding, Fernald. Reed McCumber,
King, Frelinghuyscn and Weller, who
signed Thursdays telegram suggesting
a two weeks postponement.
Mr.. Schlesinger said that the work
ers could not be expected to be jock
eyed into disadvantageous position
that would not definitely end the strike
danger. This would be the result, he
says, of making a postponement with
out any promise of laying aside the
piecework idea. He continues:
THE success or failure of the strike,
which is being forced upon the workers
by the Employers Association, will
largely depend upon the condition of
the industry at the time it is called.
The cloak manufacturing industry is
highly seasonal, and it is quite evident
that if strike is called at time when
there Is little or no work the advan-
tage is on the side of the EMPLOYERS,
while strike begun in the midst of
busy season is more apt to favor the
workers.
Unfinished Work on Hand
"The employers in our industry, con-
trary to their original expectations,
IND themselves at this time with
considerable amount of unfinished
work OH their hands. In two or three
weeks of normal work they will have
finished it, and if they then attempt to
put their demands in operation they
will have infinitely better chances to
starve the workers into submission
than they have to- day. In fact, definite
lntimations of such a plan on the part
OF number of employers have reached
us within the last few days
I'm justice to the workers and in
fairness to both sides, as we'll as to the
public, the union submits the following
proposition: If the Employers Associa-
tion will consent, before November ID.
to continue operations under the terms
OF the existing agreement, upon the
understanding that the joint commits
sion resume its work and report
definite recommendations, say by ths
fifteenth day of next January, the
union will call off the strike i'm
mediately. 1t will welcome all assist
ance of the public to solve the prob
lens in the cloak industry in con-
junction with the work of the commits
sion.'