cient time to pay. They pointed out that the constitution provided for certain contingencies, such as unemployment, that might excuse delay. In this event, therefore, the issue would be one of the facts in the case. It was the duty of the officers to ascertain the facts, to ask the local to prove the existence of the extenuating circumstances, and to require it to appear in its own defense. But no opportunity for a hearing was given the locals, either to protest their indebtedness or to prove the existence of these circumstances. The letters arbitrarily assumed the facts: “We desire herewith to notify you of that fact, [that all local unions in question are not entitled to representation * and will not be seated], so that if your Local Union is unable to pay up, you will know that your delegates cannot be seated.” Finally, the constitution provides that a Committee of Credentials shall pass on the right of delegates to sit, and the clothing workers held that it was therefore both unconstitutional and autocratic for the Executive Board and officers to take it upon themselves to decide the facts, and to act upon their own decision. It was plain to the delegates that it was the purpose of the national officers to disfranchise the locals they feared in whatever way they found possible. The Convention opened Monday morning, October 12, in Capitol Hall, Nashville, Tenn. The New York delegates, the great majority of whom represented locals declared in arrears, circulated a printed appeal to the delegates stating their case and urging that they be admitted to the convention. 66 "A determined effort is now being made by the General Officers of our organization to prevent the delegates of our locals from being seated at the Convention. And with that end in view, the General Officers have presented to the locals enormous bills for alleged deficiencies. "Whether or not these bills are correct is not the question before you at the present time. In most instances our locals claim that they are incorrect. This question must be adjusted through the regular channels of administrative procedure. If our locals should be found to be indebted to the United Garment Workers they will pay such indebtedness with all possible expe dition, and if they should fail to pay, the United Garment Workers will have a constitutional remedy against them. The point we wish to make is that the question is entirely foreign to the right of our local to be represented in the convention." When the Convention opened on October 12, 1914, the Credential Committee, appointed by Rickert, submitted a partial report, recommending the seating of 198 of 305 delegates, and making no reference at all to the others, who represented clothing locals in opposition to the existing administration. The meeting was about to proceed to business when Frank Rosenblum, one of the Chicago delegates who had been seated, asked if the report of the Credential Committee was complete. The President said that it was not yet complete and the session was adjourned without further action. Consequently, when the meeting convened the next morning, it was not yet legally organized. All delegates therefore had a right to be regarded as equal and having the same powers, until the convention was definitely constituted by the adoption of the complete report of the Credential Committee. From the very beginning, however, the delegates, whose status was not yet reported by the Committee, were refused admittance and were physically barred from the floor of the convention hall. About 150 of them (representing cutters' and tailors' locals) were thus illegally refused admittance, and they were only allowed to sit in the gallery. President Rickert was about to proceed with business when Frank Rosenblum raised the point of order on the organization of the convention and asked for a vote. The motion was put to vote, but Rickert, in counting, ignored the votes of the delegates in the gallery and reported the motion as "lost." Delegate Rosenblum then immediately proposed the suspension of the roll call, as it was unconstitutional to proceed to other business until the Credential Committee had completed its report. This objection was cheered and applauded with great enthusiasm by the delegates in the gallery. Rickert overruled Delegate Rosenblum's point of order on the ground that business would be delayed too long if they were to wait for a full report. Delegate Rosenblum appealed from the ruling and delivered a speech denouncing the autocratic methods of the officers and declaring that the delegates in the gallery were legally elected representatives of the workers with as much right as any, and more than some present, to a vote. He accused the officers of using unconstitutional and dishonest methods to maintain their position, because they knew that an honest vote would repudiate them. The appeal was put to a vote, and the majority voted in favor of the objection, but Rickert again refused to count the votes of the delegates in the gallery and declared the motion lost. Another motion made by Delegate Rosenblum to add the names of these delegates to the report was voted on with the same result, Rickert refusing to recognize all votes. Delegate Rissman, of Chicago, then moved that "the president be removed for having violated the constitution, and that in his place be nominated, temporarily, Brother Schneid of Chicago." Rickert refused to put the motion to a vote, and Delegate Rissman, therefore, put the motion himself, counted it, and declared it carried. Delegate Pass then moved that since the majority had captured the convention, the regular convention representing the majority should adjourn and reconvene at the Duncan Hotel. He also put the motion, counted the votes, and announced it carried. Thereupon all the delegates, whom the general officers sought to keep out of the convention, without charges, without a hearing and without a trial, and who represented the great majority of the membership, left the building in a body, joined by the few clothing workers' delegates who had been seated. The overall workers' delegates were practically the only ones remaining. The delegates left the building and marched through the streets to reconvene at Duncan Hotel. The following call was immediately issued to all delegates: GREETINGS: 66 The Convention of the United Garment Workers of America will be held this 13th day of October, 1914, at the Duncan Hotel, in the City of Nashville, State of Tennessee, at 12 noon. "The reason why the location of the Convention is changed from the Capitol Hall to the Hall in the Duncan Hotel, corner Fourth Avenue and Cedar Street, is that the meeting place originally designated, for the holding of such Convention, has been seized by a minority of the delegates duly elected to the said 18th Biennial Convention by the locals constituting the United Garment Workers of America, and said place being improperly, illegally and by force, held by said minority, as an illegal and improperly constituted Convention of the United Garment Workers of America. "And we urge all accredited delegates to the said 18th Biennial Convention to attend the meetings of the Convention at the time above given, and at the place above stated.” The first session of the Clothing Workers' Convention at noon of October 13th was attended by practically all the clothing workers' delegates. Mr. Jacob Panken, of NewYork, addressed the convention and was most enthusiastically received. A Credential Committee and a few temporary officers were elected, and the meeting then adjourned. The Convention was called to order in the afternoon by Chairman Schneid and the roll call taken. The Chair announced that all officers were absent, including General President Rickert, General Secretary Larger, General Treasurer Waxman, General Auditor Haskins, though they have all been notified to appear. Committees were then appointed and the convention proceeded to regular business and reports. On Wednesday, October 14th, the convention proceeded to the election of permanent officers amid great excitement and enthusiasm. Sidney Hillman, of Local No. 39, Chicago, was unanimously elected General President of the United Garment Workers of America, Joseph Schloss |