The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-02
BIG STRIKE TALK
 ON IN NEW HAVEN
National Officer Fitzgerald Claims
 to Have Sanction For it.
Crisis Expected Soon Between Connecticut Company and
 TrOlleymen.

New Haven, May 2.-Judging from the best information obtainable it seems quite likely that there will be a locking of horns between the Connec- ticut Co. and the trolleymen of the New England Board of Conference covering the cities of Springfield and Worcester and also the cities of this State, within AS hours, unless there is a substantial back down on one side or the other.
 It is not supposed that the road will make a back down, and as many of the trolleymen seem to be anxious to make the fight it is quite possible that tie up of all of these cities trolley wise. will come until some 4,000 strike breakers shall have attempted to solve up.
 The grand officers. who have taken charge of the situation are not slow in charging the New Haven road rep resentatives with broken faith in con- nection with the Springfield Worcester settlement, while the road, as nearly as can be made out, is determined to carry out it's original plan of settling with the disaffected men, by arbitra- tion if that will suffice. or by the means of bringing in outside labor if necessary
 The situation may be regarded as serious. It is understood that plans are in such shape that an army of strike-breakers, with all their camp equipment, can be turned into this sec ton at any time, and that the grand officers who are handling the mat ter on the part of the trolleymen, have received the official sanction asked for from the International Trolleymen's s Union to order a strike if they deem it justifiable. This latter was stated by International Executive Committee man Dennis S. Fitzgerald in this city last night, although it was later de- nied by International Treasurer Rezin Orr in Springfield. MT. Fitzgerald, however, is one of the men qualified on the international committee to vote to sanction summary action in the event of a failure of a satisfactory set clement with the Connecticut Company at the joint conference meeting to be held here tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.
 MT. Fitzgerald said last night: ''A strike can be called for at any time. It has been sanctioned. regard the situation as bad as it was in Philadel- phia at the beginning of the strike that has been recently precipitated there. Both Mr. Orr and myself will appear here in an advisory capacity before Vice President Calvert S. Town ley and General Manager J. K. Pun y and will reiterate the demand for a maximum wage rate of 27 1-2 cents an hour on a five years basis, and failing in securing this demand will then call for arbitration on the 30 cents an hour basis originally demanded by the men.''
 If this latter was not granted MT. Fitzgerald declared positively that the local mems rejection of the 26 cents offer made by the road was equivalent to strike and that strike could then be called at any moment.
 In looking over the field Of the trou- ble yesterday, it was found that the Massachusetts men had delegated to International President R. L. Reeves of Detroit for strike sanction. and this strike sanction was received yesterday This strike sanction comes from the international executive board There are nine members of this board and a majority carries strike sanction. These are the nine members of this beard which had to vote upon the mat ter: c. O. Pratt of Welshfield, O., chairman of the board; R l.. Reeves Of Detroit. secretary: Edward McMar- row of Chicago: Richard Cornelius of San Francisco; Magnus Sinclair of To- ronto, Can; Fred Fay of Ypsilante, Mich; William B. Fitzgerald of Troy, N. Y.; D. s. Fitzgerald of New Ha- ven, and Patrick Shea of Scranton. Pa. The president, treasurer and the seven vice presidents have no vote in sane tioninG a strike.