New-York tribune., 1910-11-02

company's wagons in Jersey City.
Officials Of the company intimated
that they believed the New Jersey au
thorities were playing politics and not
acting in good faith in protecting the
company's property.
IF we conld get the same police pro-
lection in New Jersey that we are get
ting in New York we would soon have
all our teams running" one of the off,
cials said.
Jersey Officials Criticised.
In Mr.. Vandivers statement the COM
pany takes strong exception to the rules
imposed in a circular sent to the ex-
press companies by the Board Of Police
Commissioners of Jersey City yesterday.
which require that no wagons shall be
moved through the streets before the
hour of S a. IN. and after $50 p M, and
that the police shall be notified an hour
in advance when any wagons are to be
moved to and from the stables.
In replying to the circular, Frank H.
Platt, for the United States Express
Company, denounces the rules as illegal
and as an admission by the Jersey City
authorities that they cannot protect
their streets from mob violence.
'Tt imposes the duty of calling on the
Governor for aid" Mr.. Platt said in his
letter to the Police Board.
The statement says that some of the
companies called the attention of Gov
ernor Fort to this matter, and also
notified Mayor Wittpen that they would
endeavor to the full extent of the law to
hold the state and city responsible for
all losses that they may sustain by rea-
son of the failure to furnish adequate
protection to their business.
Officials of the United States company
said yesterday that they stood ready at
any time to meet d committee of their
| former employees to consider the ques-
| ton of unemployment, but would have
nothing to do with any committee al
| legged to represent a union. They said
that some of their men had joined a
union. but most of them had not. Those
who joined. they said, had been forced
to do so, or had been driven out of the
! companys employment against their
will by continued intimidation and vio-
| lence.
The executive committee of the Mer-
| chants Association of this city at a
meeting held yesterday afternoon care
| fully considered complaints from many
of its members, in some cases the COM
plete disorganization of daily business,
resulting from the present express
/ strike Henry H Towne, president of
! the association, addressed letter to the
various express company heads inquiring
! for the facts in the situation and urging
that every means be taken to restore
some senblance to normal deliveries.
Lay Blockade to Intimidation.
Mr.. Platt in answering the letter said
/ that most of the drivers, helpers, plat
! form men and some of the clerks for
merly employed by the company have
left its service, and whether you would
call that strike seems unimportant.
We are employing as many men as we
can to fill their places, but are having
difficulty in doing so because of the con
tinued intimidation" Mr.. Platt said that
with the present police protection in this
city the company could soon get out its
full complement of wagons, but that 1t
cannot do so with the inadequate police
protection afforded in Jersey City. where
most of the horses and wagons are sta
bled.
The various express company officials
said yesterday that the full complement
of wagons in Brooklyn had been moved
during the day.
Two or three of the large department
stores were somewhat affected yesterday
by the strike. A large number of their
| drivers and chauffeurs refused to make
deliveries. net through sympathy for the
strikers, but because they feared mo-
lestatiOn from the strikers, 1t was said
The affected firms were able to make
most of their deliveries with men hired
during the day. One of the firms got
! its men together last night and arranged
a satisfactory plan by which they would
make the regular deliveries to-day. The
| men have no grievances against their en-
| ployers and it is not expected they could
| be persuaded to strike in sympathy with
the express drivers if the threat of the
labor leaders yesterday to 'tie up every
tnlDS on WneelS uflieSSS lne eillpIOy6 6IS
would arbitrate was attempted to be put
| into effect.
What the Strikers Demand.
The demands of the strikers are for
an increase in wages, a shorter day and
recognition of the union. Enumerated,
they are: Drivers. $50 monthly; assist
ant drivers S71 monthly and helpers,
so monthly; an eleven hour day, one
hour for lunch; overtime % and 50 cents
an hour and recognition of the union.
The strike began on Saturday, Octo-
Der -, when d demand was made on the
United States Express Company by the
drivers helpers for an increase in
wages. Counsel for the company issued
statement at the time, in which it was
said that the demand had been for an
immediate raise, and because the matter
could not be acted upon at once the
helpers went on strike.
NO demands were made on any other
company" counsel said, and the United