Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-11-02
SYMPATHY FOR
STRIKERS GROWS
IN JERSEY CITY
Belief Is Growing That Com
panies Seek Trouble That
They May Bring Suits.
Lrrom a star corrsspondsnt.1

JERSEY CITY, Nov. with the
State n city officials plainly incensed
by the attitude of the express COM
panies and growing public sentiment
in favor of the men, the strike OF the
drivers and helpers seems to have
reached a point where the companies
will be forced to accede to the demands
of the strikers. The men have kept
their promise to participate in no dis
order and are quietly waiting for the
conferences the companies have been
forced to agree to.
1t has leaked out that the conference
between Governor Fort, Mayor Witt
penn and representatives of the COM
panies held Monday was a strenuous
session. So heated became the discus
sion at times that an untimely end
of the conference was m Gov
ernor Fort several times resented the
attitude and language of Frank Plat,
of the United States Express Company,
and virtually forced Plat to apologize
for his disrespectful manner. Platt
made no secret of holding the most
reactionary views on the divine right
of property" 1t is the opinion of at
least n official attending the confer
ence that Plat is p%urposely ~prolonging
the strike and placing the company's
property in danger, hoping thereby to
collect in damage suits against the
city. He has openly declared bis re-
sentiment at the interference of the
State and city officials.
In a statement made today Mayor
Wittpenn showed plainly tina his SYM
pathy is with the men, and that he is
thoroughly disguised with the attitude
of the companies. He said:
1T was proved, as stated by Mr..
Va~nderveer, that the companies have
receded from their original stand and
are willing to meet the men. This con-
fession was wrung from their officials
by Governor Fort and myself after a
conference lasting nearly five hours.
when this agreement was entered into
by the companies:
LIT is agreed that the various ex-
press companies doing business in Jer-
sey City will each, separately, meet
committees of six or eight representing
their former employees for the purpose
of discussing the matter of reemploy-
ment. The purpose of these larger
committees is to secure a more general
representation of the men whose in-\
~terests are affected
The men, as l now understand it,
are engaged in selecting committees for
these conferences. When this is done
they will inform me n the confer
ences will be held, provided the COM
panies do not change their minds in
tho meantime, which I am not at all
sure will not happen. The strikers are
among our very best citizens and have
promised not only not to riot, but to
assist the authorities in maintaining
law n order. There have been no
disturbances since they gave me this
Promise, and 1 nave every reason to
believe conditions will be normal in a
few days"
Growing public sympathy for the
men was evidenced today by the state
ment of the proprietor of one of the
biggest department stores in the city
that he stands willing to extend per-
sonal financial aid to the strikers and
that other merchants will do likewise
If asked for contributions to the strike
fund.
Many of the strike-breakers assert
that they came to Jersey City snder
Misrepresentation by the express com.
panies, not knowing the character of
the work they were expected to do.
Large numbers of them refused to take
the strikers places and are now walk
ing about the streets begging for
money with which to go to their homes.
Not a few have been given money by
the strikers.
The strike is beginning to have a no.
litical aspect, there being under. wav
among the strikers a movement to ouiz
all candidates for the Legislature ON
their views regarding the enactment Of
a compulsory arbitration law.