The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-11-19
Settlement of Strike in New York
Was Brought About by Politi-
clans and Faithless Labor Lead
ers and is in Disfavor With
Bulk of Striking Men.

NEW YORK Nov. 1s.-The strike
of the employees of the express COM
panies in this city has been called off
and the men are back at work dis
posing of the mass of accumulated
express matter that had collected
in the warehouses and express Of
fices since the inception of the
strike two weeks ago.
A certain section of the express men
say that the strike ended in vic
tory for the drivers and defeat for
the company still larger section
of the men say the strike was a fail
ure and that the men lost.
William Ashton. president of the
state federation of labor, who lead the
strike, is being bitterly condemned
on all sides for his recommendation
OF a surrender on such terms as
the companies offered III compromise
These terms were the same which
were rejected last week by the New
Jersey strikers and were secured
from the express companies by Mayors
Gaynor of New York and Wittpen
of Jersey City in cooperation with
Henry r. ToWne, president of the
Merchants association Of New York.
The vote to return to work on
Monday came after day of manipu-
lating on the part of Mayor Wittpen
and Towne.
Mayor Wittpen called a committee
Of fifteen express strikers to his Of
flee and held long discussion with
s1,1o Of which
was that the companies promised him
that they would permit the drivers
to wear the union button. This
Mayor Wittpen interpreted to the
men. meant that the company was
recognizing the union.
The committees then returned to
halls where the strikers were waiting
for them, and after they announced
that sort Of a semi-off1cial recog-
milton of the union had been promis-
ed-not to them but to Mayor Wittpen
and Henry R. Towne-the strikers
voted to return to work on Monday.
The Daily Call of this city, a Social
ist paper which has come to be the
organ Of the workers of the east, de-
clares the strike settlement was a
distinct betrayal efsthe express sirivers
in which Tammany politics and the
shrewd manipulation of the anti
union Manufacturers association
played the chief part.
In regard to the settlement Of the
strike the Call said this week:
perhaps never in the history Of
organized labor in America has there
been more bold and glaring attempt
-1-
than that which has taken place in
the New York expressmen's strike.
This betrayal was all the more un-
fortunate because of the time and
place and the unusual circumstances
that surrounded the strike.
"Conditions had reached a point in
Greater New York and the surround
ing places when a general strike could
have been called at the drop Of the
hat. The workers could have COM
pletely paralyzed the industry Of this
part Of the country. Everything was
ready for it,
Could Have Been a Holiday
Under such circumstances the
strike would not have lasted two
days. 1t would have been holiday.
The workers know that. They knew
that the action would have been so
drastic that everything. almost, they
demanded would have been granted.
The general strike movement got
it's first setback four days before the
election. A mass meeting took place
in Teutonia Hail. 1853 Third avenue.
. 1t had been rumored among the men
that at this meeting the question of
general strike would be decided up-
on.
AT this meeting, however, the gen.
eral strike was not discussed.
"A vote was hurried through in
which it was decided to postpone the
general strike a Week-until after
election.
1T was all done so quickly that no
one got a chance to say anything.
Talnmany Gave Hall Free.
According to a statement made be-
fore this meeting, Tammany fur
nished the hall free. > The meet
ing was nothing more or less than
a political meeting arranged by Tam
many leaders to boost the Democratic
candidates.
In the meantime the chauffeurs
and cab drivers were striking by the
hundreds daily. The express strike
was a new call to them. They recog:
nized the opportunity to arouse them.
selves from the defeat which the
bosses administrated to them two
years ago.
But as the chauffeurs and cal
drivers struck their bosses gave in
to their demands +** It has sur.
prised the strikers to see how easil,
the bosses gave in, but the reason is
believed to be that the reactionar,
forces within the ranks of the work
ers have induced the taxicab bosses
to give in, in order to assist in crush.
Ing the general strike sentiment, anG
then after the expressmen are back
to work the same old conditions can
DE forced upon them.
All along the express bosses have
been obstinate. They did not want to
have anything to do with labor or
ganizations.
After the effort of the Civic FEEDER
alton and the labor leaders were ex-
hauSted in attemntinp IN oo4 ~