On September 22, 1910, there has occurred a historical event, when in one factory - Hart, Schaffner and Marx - the workers went on strike against the brutality of the foremen and the low wages. Then the strike, with great rapidity, spread all over. Chicago. About 40,000 tailors participated in this strike. There was a small organization, The United Garment Workers, and this union tried to lead the strike.

The workers' demands were as follows: To recognize the union, to shorten the working hours; the foremen's conduct toward the workers must be polite; wages must be raised and the factories must be kept clean.

The struggle started. Small groups of workers surrounded the factories and picketed them. Here they met the enemy equipped from head to foot. The workers 2were laughed at and spat upon; they were trampled and pulled by their hair. They were the suffering masses, the majority of them foreigners not knowing the English language, but they know one thing - the need of struggle; they know that without struggle they would gain nothing.

The Lithuanians participated with others, day in and day out. They began to worry, because they did not know the English language. The international meetings became loathsome and began to weaken their spirit.

The Lithuanians started to organize a separate group in order to uphold the strike. They got permission from the local authoritities, and created their separate organizations. They elected Mr. P. Galski as president; J. Mickevic as secretary. The active committee consisted of A. Zile, A. Bukauskas, J. Auksoriues, A. Cepaitis, J. Katilius, J. Puniska, F. Lenkartas, K. Rugis, J. Tumosa, Mrs. A. Milianskiene, M. Lunzevicius, V. Kavalins, and many others.

They decided to appeal to the Lithuanian public, in order to get help to win the struggle. The Lithuanian public replied favorably, the donations have 3come in, we started to help the most distressed families of the strikers.

The longer the strike lasted, the harder became the struggle. The winter came, it was very hard for the strikers. Three months passed. The workers who were still walking the streets and watching the strike-breakers, tried to persuade the latter to stop working, in order to force the employers to make peace with the workers. On December 3, 1910, when K. Lazinskas tried to speak to the strikebreakers, a policeman shot him.

On December 15, at B. Kuppenheimer's factory, a detective shot and killed in the picket line, Frank Nazrecki. At the same time, wounded M. Lungevicines, who as a result of this, was sick for a year, and lost his health.

At the funeral of Frank Nagrecki, the Rev. Savapinas, delivered the sermon in English. In part he said: "You, little boy, are lying here, killed by the brutal hand of a murderer. You sought a better life, a brighter morrow for yourself, and for others a larger piece of bread. But they stopped you on your way with a steel bullet. You, by seeking the sweet and much promised 4morrow, have met death on the way you started on a narrow path; it will be a broad highway for the future generations.

With imposing ceremony Lazinskas was buried in St. Casimir's cemetery beside Nagreck. Now they are both at rest, the first ones to die in the struggle.

Every year on Decoration Day the organization appoints a special committee to put a wreath on their tomb. On the tomb stands a beautiful stone as a memorial monument.

Other misfortunes befell the strikers, mostly Lithuanians. A detective shot John Kuprevicins in the leg. It took a long time to heal.

John Katilins and V. Stucka were thrown in jail, and kept there for killing the detective, thought it was not proved that they were guilty of this crime.

This was done with the purpose of breaking the strike. Since there was no 5proof against Katilins, the court freed him. The Lithuanians then organized Local 269, which still exists. On January 14, 1911, Hart Schaeffner and Marx signed an agreement with the workers. This agreement was not made with the union, but the workers got the right to organize outside of the factory,but not in the factory. At that time, it was a big gain for the workers.

A large majority of the workers were non-union. It was necessary to organize them secretly, because if the foreman would see them talking to non-union workers, asking them to join the union, the unionists would have been expelled from the factory.

On Mar. 29, 1913, Hart Schaffner and Marx signed the contract with the union locals, under the leadership of U.G.W. Chicago Labor Federation and the Women's Trade Union Unity League. On October 12, 1914 at Nashville, Tenn. a convention was held by the United Garment Workers' Union. The officers of the union refused to permit the 150 delegates to take part in the convention. The delegates then held a separate convention, and this is when the split in the U.G.W. union occurred.

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Later on, the old administration tried to take the money of the locals, and was doing many other things of like nature.

On Dec. 25, 1914, in New York was held a special convention, and it was decided to quit the United Garment Workers, and organize the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. The administration was elected and started to organize all the garment workers.

On August 29, 1915 the Chicago Garment Workers went on strike. In this strike participated 25,000 tailors. After three months on December 12, the strike was declared off, the union was not recognized, but some improvements were gained.

December 13, 1919, all large factories were forced to sign the agreement with the Amalgamated union. Such was the ultimate result of organizing the Chicago Garment Workers.