The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-13
TO CALL OFF SUBWAY STRIKE,
ITALIAN UNION HAVING FAILED
TO BLUFF CONTRACTORS.
Warned BY the G.. F. u. That They'd
Have to Go II Alone n They Kept
In the Ffght-The Mems Leaders
Promise to Advise Them to Go
to Work Say They'll Go To-day.

After declaring that neither they nor
their men would 60 back to work until
they could get 81 wages and an eight-hour
day, the heads of the different branches
OF the Rockmen and Excavators' Union,
now on strike, agreed yesterday to advise
their Italian followers to go back to work
this morning before the contractors filed
their places with non-union men.
This action OF the leaders, who last week
encouraged the men to reject the plan for
arbitration and return to work pending
settlement, was the result ola conference
yesterday afternoon. at which they were
told by the representatives Of the Central
Federated Union that they no longer would
have that bodys support and that Mr..
McDonald's ultimatum plainly showed
the contractors to be in a mood to stand
no more fooling. Some Of the men seemed
still to be in favor Of holding out, but the
leaders seemed to think that ALL or nearly
ALL would take their advice and report
for work this morning
If the Italians do return to work the plan
which they rejected last week providing
for arbitration of their demands will be
carried out. Mr.. Mcdonald agreed to this
Yesterday afternoon. He also agreed to
give the laborers until noon to report, in
stead of until morning only. II they do not
get back by noon the prospect seemed to be
yesterday that the contractors would have
no difficulty in filling their places In fact,
before the action Of the strike leaders be-
came known arrangements had al! been
made for a general resumption OF work
to day. with protection furnished by the
police under special orders OF Commits
sioner Greene.
Mr. Mcdonald, with Contractor John
Pierce, called on Gen. Greene Yesterday
afternoon and afterward talked with Chief
Inspector Cortright.
If any disorder arises the police will be
ready Disturbers OF the peace will find
us prepared to cope with them
A reserve force of 600 men is being held
in readiness to quell disorder, should any
arise.
decided to call off the strike was held at
IS East Fourth street yesterday after
noon 1t was called by the Central Fede-
rated Union representatives and was al
tended by eighty or more officers of the
fourteen branches of the Excavators'
and voted unanimously to call the strike
off. Nominally. this has to be done by the
men themselves, but their leaders assured
the Central Federated Union men that
their followers would do this without
trouble The teamsters will also report
for work to-day
The contractors went on hiring outside
laborers yesterday, and considerable work
was done on parts of the tunnel. Con-
tractor Bradley had more than 400 men
at work. and though they We're watched
by strike pickets, only one collision oc-
Cured, That was early yesterday morn
ing, when group OF strikers started
fight and the police charged into them.
The strikers scattered.
Before United States Commissioner
Shields Yesterday more than one hundred
Italians declared their intention Of be-
coming citizens, most of them with the
idea OF becoming eligible to work on the
subway in the place OF strikers.