The Daily Worker

JOINT BOARD OF NEW YORK A. C. W. BEGINS POGROM
Hires Sluggers to Beat Up Members

NEW YORK, July 24.-In Arion Hall in Brooklyn a meeting was called of Amalgamated Clothing Workers, Local 2 membership to discuss important union questions. The main item was the strike in the International Tailoring company, the negotiations of the union with the manufacturers on the agreement, some plans of the New York joint board of the Amalgamated, and other matters.

The tailors came. But at the entrance they were met by a guard of sluggers and police, who were present to prevent the entrance of anybody not kosher. To the same meeting later on came some members of Local 5 who thought they would be permitted at the meeting to hear the action of Local 2. It is generally permitted for members of one local to attend meetings of other locals without the right of vote. But since most of the members of Local 2 were not permitted inside, the few members of Local 5 were certainly not admitted.

Police and Gangsters Attack A. C. W. Members.

The members of Local 5 kept quiet, but the tailors of Local 2 protested. Their argument was that they are members of the local, and that the questions to be decided affect them also.

And so the gangsters got to work. One tailor, whose name could not be learned, was murderously beaten up. Others also received goodly portions. And as if that was not enough, the police finished the job. They did not arrest the gangsters. Instead, a group of those who were not admitted were beaten up and arrested.

Police arrested Sam Lipzin, Nelson, Julius Lifshitz, R. Gabel, Isen, Gross, Schwartz, and Levin. They were all held at the police station, where the time of trial was set for Thursday morning.

Joint Board of Amalgamated Exposes Itself.

This act presents itself as a good example to show what the joint board machine of the Amalgamated in New York is capable of. The leaders of the joint board argued for a long time that the board has no money. Lately the board has also decided to put a tax upon the membership of two and a half dollars.

But they still find money in the union treasury to pay for strong arms to attack their own membership. And still more, they permit themselves to carry thru such a job even at a time when the union is on strike against some firms, and when the power of the tailors has to be united in order to defend the strikers in the struggle against the injunction bosses.