Bar off, the General Secretary, would come to Boston on Monday and attempt to see the employers before the final step was taken.

"On Monday, July 16th, after a long conference with the employers, at which Secretary Baroff was present, a raise of 15 per cent. for the ordinary garments and of 10 per cent. for the better grades was granted, and peace is now assured in the trade. In the evening an enthusiastic meeting was held at 38 Causeway Street, at which organizer Cohen and the Conference Committee reported of the success of the final negotiations with the employers. The credit for the good results obtained was freely attributed to the tact displayed by Brother Baroff in his dealings with the employers. The new agreement was unanimously ratified by all the members.

"Brother A. Snyder also addressed the meeting and was warmly applauded. At the end of the meeting committees were appointed to conduct the strike in the few shops which did not belong to the association. The meeting was closed with an address by General Secretary Baroff, who pointed out that they owed their victory first of all to the International and to their own local, and counselled them to remain steadfast and loyal to the organization.

"On the following day all the raincoat makers in Boston came to the headquarters of the union, and after shop meetings were held with each group separately, working cards were issued to the workers employed in the association shops. The independent shops were also heard from during the day as they were making applications for settlements. In the course of a few days the strike of Local No. 7 ended in a clean victory for the workers."

BRIDGEPORT CORSET WORKERS,

LOCALS NOS. 33 and 34

Miss Mary Gould, Secretary, reports: "On Monday, July 9th, after a shut-down of ten days, the corset factories in Bridgeport started up, and are at this writing quite busy. It is customary in our industry to shut down each year for the purpose of taking inventory.

"Many of the cutters have left the shops and new men are taking their places, and these are ushered into the union as fast as

they can make out applications, which shows that Local 34 is also keeping up its share of interest and activity. Other trades are fast organizing their women workers in Bridgeport, and in every instance our Local 33 is referred to and we are doing our part in assisting them. The retail clerks and machinists are organizing here at present, and our local is always ready to come forth and tell what organized labor has done for us.

"At our meeting, June 29th, we elected the following officers:

"Carrie Hamberg, President.
"Sarah Bright, Vice-President.
"Mary Gould, Secretary-Treasurer.
"Anna Meyer, Guide.

"Emma Nagle, Sergeant-at-arms.
"Rose Robbins
"Catherine Brennan
"Irene Esmonde

Trustees

we

"From the time our local was organized, in September, 1915, up to the middle of 1916, had in our organization practically every operator in the factory, including the cutters, and even the majority of the office force, all of them in good standing. VicePresident Pierce was visiting our local frequently and we appreciated his assistance. During the last convention, the delegates of the Bridgeport and New Haven corset locals understood that the International would grant us the services of an organizer. This, however, was not done and our locals here were left without assistance. We have lost a lot of members, and it now depends on the group of active workers who are doing their best to keep our locals going.

"We need attention just now, more than

at any other time. The firm for which we are working has secured large government contracts, and they are engaging new operators every day, consisting mostly of Italians, and we have the greatest difficulty to cope with them."

(Vice-President Elmer Rosenberg visited the meeting of the New Haven corset workers on Thursday, July 12th, at Eagle's Hall, and took up with them the question of organizing the Italian workers. Plans are now being made to assist this local.-Editor.)

LADIES' TAILORS AND ALTERATION

WORKERS, LOCAL NO. 80

H. Hilfman, Secretary of the local, writes: "Only a few years ago, the immigrant ladies' tailor, having learned how to work in the American shop, hired a number of helpers to assist him, and by exploiting them to the limit, managed to make fair wages for himself. This system, by which the bulk of the workers were kept in a condition of total dependence, could not, however, last long. Labor unions in the ladies' tailoring trade began to form about 1905, and in 1909 the tailors were a part of the International, as Local No. 38. The first important strike took place in that year in the shop of Stein and Blaine. This strike was the result of a lockout by the firm, and it was won after a stirring fight of nine months. Soon after this the workers began to flock into the organization. The tailors at that time were working for pitifully low wages. $19 per week for sixty hours work was considered high pay in the trade, and the piece workers, who were made to compete and race with each other, brought home even smaller pay at the end of the week Home work, after the long hours in the shop or store, was not an infrequent practice in those years.

"The cloakmakers' strike of 1910 brought the long-waited chance for the ladies' tailors too. The rush for organization became so strong that in 1911 the tailors had almost three thousand men in the local. A general strike in September of that year resulted in a quick victory which gave the workers a fifty hour work-week; a week work system; a minimum of $24 per week; abolition of home work and a few other concessions. Another general strike in September, 1913, which was also won after a struggle of short duration, brought further gains for the tailors, among these a 48-hour work

week, a minimum of $27 per week and an addition of 60 per cent. for overtime.

Unfortunately, after this strike a reaction set in among the workers. Having won better trade conditions, they began to neglect their union. Conditions became so bad that in two years it became necessary to call another general strike in order to make safe the conditions gained in 1913 and to again enroll the workers into the organization. This strike was a failure, and put the ladies' tailors local backward for a considerable time.

"The effects of the lost strike in 1915 are still felt in the ladies' tailoring trade in New York to-day. The employers are oppressing the workers with a strong hand, and the old evils of Saturday and Sunday work, of work without regular schedules and system are rampant in the trade. To-day the workers are beginning to realize the fatal mistake they made in neglecting their union, and the most indifferent among them are calling for the organization of their shops. The state of affairs in the Brooklyn shops is similar to those in New York. They, too, have lost all the gains they had made in 1913, owing to apathy and indifference.

"After the Philadelphia convention of 1916, the old locals, No. 38, 65, and the Alteration Tailors, No. 30, once a part of Local No. 9, were amalgamated into one local, the present Local No. 80. This union was given control over the entire ladies' tailoring and alteration industry in Greater New York which employs from nine to ten thousand people, and the International placed Brother S. Lefkovitz in charge of this local.

"At present the local is going through an important trial period of organization. The best elements have rallied to the local and. earnest efforts are being made to organize the trade. The desperate conditions of the workers in the shops present fertile ground for a general movement to improve them. The next few months will determine whether or not the ladies' tailors of New York will control their trade and improve their conditions."

HOUSE DRESS MAKERS,
LOCAL NO. 41.

Manager H. Zucker states as follows: "The slow season is still on, though a number of our people are employed on military work. In these shops the wages

are very low, in fact, our girls have not received a raise in seven months, and everybody knows that the earnings in these shops have always been very low. We have therefore made demands for an increase in pay, and we expect to get it, too, by all

means.

"Some of the firms have informed our people that they do not want them to be members of the union, now that they are working on military work. We sent notice that if they will not stop this intimidation we would take up the matter with the Government, and they might have their contracts cancelled. This brought an immediate change of heart, and these employers have notified us that they are willing to continue the same relations with the organization which existed before they began making military work."

NEW YORK PRIVATE DRESS

MAKERS, LOCAL NO. 90 Manager A. Benenson of this local,

writes us:

"The last season in the private dressmaking trade was not altogether satisfactory, and the earnings of our members were low because there was not enough work in the shops and stores. The month of July has brought along with it an unusual number of lay-offs and forced "vacations." In spite of this our members did not forget their union, and during the few busy weeks about 90 per cent. of the workers paid up all their arrears with the organization, which enabled the office to go on with the work unhampered and to exert a firm control over the shops for the coming season.

a

"During last month we had elections for new executive board, and an unusually large number of members took part in the voting. On June 25 Brother Abraham Baroff, Secretary-Treasurer of the International, installed the new board at a very enthusiastic meeting. The board is headed by Miss Bella Metz, president; Miss Molly Mollow, vice-president; Miss Sarah Keller, recording secretary and Miss Rose Kaplan, financial secretary!

"Our regular meetings will be kept up uninterruptedly during the summer months, and we expect that our members will show

the same eagerness to attend them as they have displayed in the past."

CHILDREN'S DRESSMAKERS' UNION, LOCAL NO. 50

A correspondent writes:

Our local has started its own local organ in English, Italian and Yiddish.

The first number issued at the end of June was only the size of a bulletin in four pages. This has since been doubled in size. It is for the present being issued once in two weeks and our members, composed mostly of women workers, have received the publication with enthusiasm. In his congratulation, published in the first number, Brother Baroff, Secretary-Treasurer of the International, says:

Light Through the Written Word

The Children's Dressmaker's Union, Local No. 50 has followed the example of other locals and decided to publish its own paper. Our Aim, every two weeks.

The aim to spread more light and knowledge deserves praise.

When the members will have better knowledge of our aims the union will rest on a firmer footing. It will imbue them with more sympathy and closer unity.

It is our aim to knit the members in a bond of mutual relations, and one of the means to bring this about is the press.

The officers and active members of Local No. 50 desire to enlighten their members on all local and trade questions by means of their own local organ.

Although it would afford me greater satisfaction to see unity and co-operation, to see a united press for a united International, instead of separate organs, still, this is a matter that we cannot prevent at present, and I send you sisters and brothers hearty greetings, wishing that your organ may fulfill your hopes.

I trust that Our Aim will knit together the thousands of your members and bring all the workers of your industry under the banner of your union.

Ab. Baroff, General Secretary-Treasurer International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.

OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD OF WHITE GOODS WORKERS' UNION, LOCAL NO. 62

Recently, I have taken the liberty to make use of certain matter contained in one of your issues. Indeed, as a writer on the staff of the Tailor and Cutter," I have often received valuable information from the "Ladies' Garment Worker," for which I have often been on the point of writing to thank you.

The good work persistently carried on by the various unions, connected with the clothing industry of America, cannot fail to have beneficial results. Good luck to your efforts.

Speaking generally of the labor movement in this country, one is somewhat at a loss to know where we actually stand at the moment-so many of the links in the magic chain of old associations have been wrenched asunder, the hastily and harshly outlined present of labor policy brought about by the war is so bewildering and unsettling, that, one wonders whether or not those newly enforced conditions will be maintained by mutual consent after the war, or whether, another journey in the wilderness of unrest, strife and travail must be endured by the working people before they shall enjoy that freeing and ennobling of labor that appeared to be so well within the grasp of the organized labor movement prior to the commencement of this terrible world conflict?

The desire to see a closer union between the various sections of garment workers the world over is still animating us. God grant, that after this war is ended, we may

see a general uplift of all sections of clothing workers.

Fraternal greetings to you and all your members, I am yours faithfully,

W. RINES, J. P.

A REQUEST FOR GENERAL TOPICS Editor, "Ladies' Garment Worker":-I have been getting the "Ladies' Garment Worker" since the last few months, and I see that you never comment on subjects outside of our trade.

For instance, there is woman's labor, which is now getting to be the general talk among women workers. How are women likely to cut up after this terrible war? There are so many opinions. Some say that women are now in it for good; that in future they will do everything the same as men. Others think that when the millions of men will come back from the war they will again crowd the fields and factories, and that we shall have to go back to the home and kitchen and lose our hold on industry.

Of

Then there is the war itself, which is of so much interest to men and women. course we are reading the news in the papers. But have not the trade unions their opinion on the war? Then why should not our trade magazine sometimes give us an idea or two on the matter, just to make us think?

If I am wrong, Mr. Editor, please put me right.

IDA SCHURMAN. Answer:-Our union is so large, our trade nceds so many and our space so limited that first of all we must cover trade matters, and if no space is left then we must do without general comment.

The questions that Sister Schurman asks so intelligently are, indeed, interesting, but it would be in the nature of prophesying to say what is going to happen after the war. What people say will happen may not happen at all.