Utica Workers, there was a general twelve and a half per cent. increase in the textile industry in December, 1919.

"Wage increases and improved conditions in Philadelphia, Fulton, Burrillville, New Bedford, Chelsea, Passaic, Bayonne, Englewood and other places.

"Don't you want more wages?

"Don't you want shorter hours?

"Don't you want better shop conditions?

"Don't you want better food, clothing, housing and a better life for your wife and children?

"Others are getting these things. Why not you ? "Wake up!

"Textile workers, ours is the biggest industry in the country. But we are the lowest paid of all workers.

"All we need to do is to get together. Then only can we improve our conditions. Now is our chance! The union to carry America's textile workers to victory is here! Join the A. T. W. of A. at once. In order to reach all the workers in the industry, we have organizers who speak all languages.

"The Local in your town is at.

"Look it up, and become a member. If there is no Local in your town, write to the National office, A. T. W. of A., 113 East 26th street, New York, N. Y. They will send all necessary information about the organization.

CHAPTER VIII

The International Ladies' Garment Workers Union* The International Ladies' Garmen Workers Union is organized along industrial lines and shows marked radical tendencies. The preamble of the constitution illustrates that it is founded upon the principles of the class struggle; that it adopts the One Big Union idea and seeks to bring about the overthrow of the present system of society. We give the preamble here in full:

"PREAMBLE

"Whereas, The history of the world and of the labor movement has shown that progress is best accomplished by organization, and

Whereas, Industry has become organized and concentrated to such an extent that the individual worker is powerless against the oppression of the profit-seeking employer: "Therefore, We, the Workers engaged in the production of ladies' garments, have

"Resolved, That the only way to secure our rights as producers and to bring about a system of society wherein the workers shall receive the full value of their product, is to organize industrially into a class conscious labor union politically represented on the various legislative bodies by representatives of a political party whose aim is the abolition of the capitalist system so that we may be able to defend our common interests, and we have

"Further resolved, That to accomplish this purpose, the workers in this industry should be organized locally into local unions and that these local unions should be effectively bound together so as to mutually strengthen each other."

"With this object in view we have established the International Ladies Garment Workers Union through which we hope to organize all workers engaged in every branch of the ladies' garment-making industry, and through which we shall co-operate with organizations of workers in other industries, either by affiliation with the American Federation of Labor or otherwise."

It is closely affiliated with the Socialist Party of America, and stands for the principles and tactics advocated by the party. Its

*See Addendum, Part I.

official organ "Justice" is published weekly. It is discreet in its news and editorial column, and few inflammatory articles are found. However, reference is constantly made to conditions in Soviet Russia, and always with approval.

It is affiliated with the Workers' Defense Union of which Elizabeth Gurley Flynn is the leader, and with which F. G. Biedenkapp of the Metal Workers' Union is secretary. The headquarters are located at 31 Union square, New York City. The president is Benjamin Schlesinger, and secretary-treasurer is E. Baroff. The editor of its official organ "Justice" is S. Wyonopsky, and the business manager is E. Lieberman.

This Union recognizes the need of educating its members in Economics, Sociology and other cultural subjects so that they may be prepared to conduct and manage the industry if their program of seizure is carried out.

In a report signed by Fania M. Cohn, Vice-President of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, printed in the American Labor Year Book for the year 1920, page 204, we find the statement:

"The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union began its educational work in 1914 in conjunction with the Rand School of Social Science. About 150 members of the Union were sent to the school to receive instruction in Labor Problems, the History of the Trade Union Movement in the United States and abroad, Economics, Sociology and other cultural subjects."

In order to reach the large membership of the organization, permission was obtained from the Board of Education of New York City to use public school buildings for educational centers and extensive courses of training are now carried on. Much of the work is excellent but throughout there is a manifest purpose of getting before the membership of the organization the principles of government and of industrial reorganization which are the basis of Socialist psychology.

CHAPTER IX

The International Fur Workers' Union of the United States and

Canada

The workers in the fur trade have come together in an independent union having much in common with the other industrial unions that have been described in this report, and which is thoroughly under the influence of the Socialist Party of America.

Their organization is called the International Fur Workers' Union of the United States and Canada. Its jurisdiction extends to the following branches of the fur trade:

Fur cutters.

Fur squarers.

Fur operators.
Fur nailers.

Fur finishers and liners.

Fur ironers and examiners.

Fur beaters and cleaners.

Fur pointers.

Fur glove makers.

Fur cap makers.
Fur band makers.
Fur persian makers.
Fur skull makers.
Fur rug makers.

Fur muff bed makers.

Fur head and tail makers.

Fur trimmings and fur pieces.

Fur garments of all descriptions.

Fur hand dressers.

Fur hand shavers.

Fur machine shavers.

Fur machine fleshers.

Fur floor workers.

Fur dyers.

Fur hand and machine pickers and shearers

Fur scrapers.

Fur combers.

Fur dyeing of all descriptions.

Hatters' fur workers.

Sheepskin workers.

Sheepskin tanners.

Sheepskin dyers.

Although the principles of the organization set out in the preamable are not as outspoken as many of the unions that have been described, it will be seen that the class struggle is the basis for their organization. The preamble of the constitution which is in force in 1920 is as follows:

"PREAMBLE

"Whereas, A struggle is going on in all the nations of the civilized world between the oppressors and the oppressed of all countries, a struggle between the capitalist and the laborer, which grows in intensity from year to year, and will work disastrous results to the toiling millions if they are not combined for mutual protection and benefit.

Experience has demonstrated that the inroads made into our craft have been due to lack of unity and confidence in each other, and recognizing that unity, guided by intelligence, is a source of strength that can withstand all attacks, and that by intelligent organization we acquire the discipline that enables us to act together, concentrate our strength and direct our efforts to the desired end.

"Therefore, for the purpose of promoting unity of sentiment and action among those employed at the fur craft in the United States and Canada, and joining them closely together for mutual protection, we shall endeavor to further our interests and promote the following:

"To thoroughly organize and elevate the fur craft. "To establish a perfect apprenticeship system. "To establish uniform wages for same class of work, regardless of sex.

"To reduce the hours of labor to eight hours per day.

"To substitute arbitration for strikes whenever possible to do so.

"To seek the abolition of sweat-shop and child labor. "To promote the use of the union label as the sole guarantee of union made furs.

"To support the union label of all other bona fide trade unions, and assist all trade unions to the full extent of our power."