The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-06
PRESIDENT SIGMAN'S PART
IN THE STRIKE.

IN THE STRIKE.
The active participation of Presi
dent Sigman and other Internationa
officials in the strike, is attested b!
the reports of their frequent speeches
in the newspapers, their attendance a
meetings of the General Strike Com
mittee, and in sworn statements made
by them in answer to the attempts Of
the employers to obtain an injunction
against picketing.
In an affidavit sworn to by Presi'
dent Sigman on September 20, 1926
he made the following dispositions as
to the calling Of the strike, its legal
kty, and its proper conduct:
II hereby deny all allegations to the
effect that the general strike now
pending in the cloak and suit industry
in the City Of New York is an unlaw-
ful strike, or that the defendants are
engaged in a conspiracy to injure or
ruin the plaintiff corporation or any
Of the members of the same, or that
they are actuated by malice or any
Legitimate motives in the conduct Of
said strike.
"On the contrary aver that the
said strike was forced upon the work
ers in the industry; that it is being
conducted by them for the protection
Of their vital economic interests, and
that their struggle is not only legit-
innate but highly meritorious, and one
that should commend itself to the
sympathies of all right thinking men"
Discussing the findings Of the Gov
errors Commission, President Sig
man declared in his affidavit, that
"The recommendations which I'M
doubtedly are the result of careful
and painstaking investigation and of
a conscientious effort to remedy some
of the evils Of the industry, fell con-
siderably short of satisfying the most
substantial demands of the workers.
Our Union, after very careful consid-
Grafton of the Commissions recon-
mendations, reluctantly reached the
conclusion that they were entirely in
adequate to remedy the most crying
evils under which the workers suf-
fered. We accordingly invited the
principal organizations of employers
in the industry g. to confer with us
on terms of a new agreement. The
jobbers' association (The Industrial
Council responded to our invitation
and met in conference with our Union.
The Industrial Council, however, re-
fused to consider our requests point
blank and stated that it would not
even as much as discuss any PROPOSE
ton outside of the recommendations
Of the Governors Advisory Commits
sion. Our Union thus found itself
forced to declare a strike in order to
bring about the necessary improve
ments in the conditions of the work
ers."
Sigman Himself Refutes Charges.
In the affidavit, President Sigman
himself refuted the charges of the
employers that the strike was led by
Communists" He said;
"The moving papers Ito secure the
H4uHSbIOuy otGh ~ LtpAGoGAb VIC
present strike as something different
from the ordinary labor struggle; as
a sort of sinister movement against
law and order led by communists for
political purposes. I absolutely deny
the said statements. The defendants
are not, as alleged, Communists re-
Gently from Russia" They are work
ers of many original races and ma
tionalities, residents and citizens of
the United States who are not con-
cerned in this struggle about anything
but an opportunity to earn an honest
and modest living for themselves and
their families. Whatever the in
dividual political persuasions of any
Union official may be, they do not
and cannot enter into the present con-
troversy or influence the conduct Of
the workers in any way. The pending
strike of the clOakmakers of the City
Of New York is solely and exclusively
an economic trade union struggle"
The charges of President Sigman
and other International officers, after
twenty-five weeks of cooperating in