The day book. [volume], January 17, 1913, Image 2

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
girls of the strike from trie cadets.
Gaynor today sent a letter to
the leaders of the strike refusing
to appoint any special police. His
letter read:
"When I took office I canceled
all appointments of private per
sons as special police. They were
used in labor strikes to commit
violence and disorder. You ask
me to restore that condition of
things. If I deputize people on
your side the other side will ask
for deputies and the result will be
violence and disorder."
The strike committee was in
dignant over this letter. They
pointed out that they had a legit
imate excuse for asking for depu
ties, and that Gaynor could refuse
to appoint deputies for "the other
side" unless they presented an
equally legitimate excuse.
"Inasmuch as we have been re
cused protection by the authori
ties," said Rosa Blank today, "we
must take the matter in our own
hands and provide our own police
fend protectors against the cadets
and agents of the white slavers.
"We cannot let 75,000 young
girls go unprotected. The danger
calls for immediate action. We
have pleaded in vain with the
mayor and police department.
The utmost vigilance is needed.
The East Side is sly clever and
persuasive and the girls are
hungry."
"We shall have to go ahead
with our plans ourselves," said
Miss Gertrude Barnum. "Col
lege girls and society women will
be assigned to various meeting
balls and other places where
young girls gather. It is the only
thing we can do."
Miss Barnum is national or
ganizer of the Ladies' Garment
Workers and daughter of Judge
Wm. Barnum, a wealthy Chica
goan. "We want Congress to probe
the clothing industry," continued
Miss Barnum. "The public should
know the present conditions.
The product of tenements and
sweatshops is bound to be germ-
carrying.
"The workers in them have
small wages and have to keep go-3
ing even when sick. There are no
sanitary arrangements and I be
lieve many epidemics have been
spread through clothing manu
factured under improper condi
tions. "Many of the clothing workers
are girls. They must have bet
ter care. It is for congress to say.
whether these women the fu
ture mothers of our race are to
be given decent environment."
Certain of the manufacturers
today brought influence to bear
to have the sweatshop workers"
resume making clothing. It was.
this that caused the threat of a
demand for a congressional in--vestigation.
Thomas J. Rickert, president'
of the International Garment -Workers'
union, is making an in
vestigation into the report that
some of the bosses are sending ,
their work to other cities to be
made up and reshipped to them.
"If we find there is such a prac- r
tice," said Rickert, today, "we
shall first order all workers ,