New-York tribune., 1911-11-14
TO BREAK
THE STRIKE TODAY
Edwards Has Promise of Men to
Give Him Three Drivers
to Every Cart.
MAYOR WON'T ARBITRATE
Sympathetic Walkout of Union
Teamsters Is Threatened
Much Garbage Removed
Fewer Disorders.

Mayor Gaynor paid his first visit to the
Office Of Commissioner Edwards of the
Street Cleaning Department late yester
day afternoon. after spending a large
part Of the day listening TO the pleas Of
those who wanted the striking drivers
of the street Cleaning Department to he
permitted to return TO work this morn
ing. The Mayor said that the purpose
Of his visit to big Bill" was to look
over the records of the work done and
see what the prospects were for the fut-
urc. AS he left the Office he was asked
what he thought of the situation.
Fine" he said. Everything is going
fine We have more men at work to-
dav than went ont when this hap
pened"
win the city stand pat?" he was
asked.
Il haven't said anything about that"
he replied "You mustn't quote me On
anything / haven't said
The same question was put to Com
missioner Edwards five minutes later.
wise" he said You heard what the
Mayor said about the situation After
he had looked over the figures he said to
me that he was very happy over the sit
uation."
William H. Ashton. the strike leader
took a less optimistic view. He was
among the earliest of those who called
on the Mayor yesterday, and after the
Mayor had refused 10 see him he pre-
dicted a general sympathetic teamsters
strike
Ashton wanted 10 talk With Mayor
Gaynor about the men going back to
work this morning and their grievances
being settled by an arbitration commit
tee 10 be selected from various civic or
ganizations. Under the five-day clause
in the civil service law the men are au-
tomatically dropped from the city pay
roll after being FIVE days away from
work without leave. They cannot get
back then without passing another civil
service examination and taking their
regular turns on the list. Ashton's plan
was 70 let those men return to work
who could make a showing of having
been forced out by intimidation. The
strike leaders figured that they could
get from s. to 90 per cent Of the men
back in this way.
Mayor Won't See Ashton.
When the express wagon drivers were
on strike a year ago Ashton made him
self very popular with Mayor Gaynor.
"Tf all the men were like YOU" the
Mayor said to him, there wouldn't be
any trouble
Yesterday when Ashton arrived at the
CITY Hall and asked TO see the Mayor
the Mayors reply was: Il won't see
him I won't ever have anything TO do
, with him
After this rebuff Ashton said Il do
not think the Mayor would have lost
any dignity in seeing me. Many men Of
all stations have changed their minds
and been glad Of it afterward. AS the
Mayor has refused to arbitrate, the
question Of a sympathetic strike Of all
the teamsters throughout the city will
be decided a a meeting Of the Greater
New York Executive Council of the
Teamsters' Union tomorrow night. Judg-
ing from the present sentiment, general
strike is likely. do not believe it will
be possible to hold the men back after a
refusal 10 arbitrate"
There was little disorder yesterday, the
police having the situation well in hand.
William G. Rodgers, chief mediator Of
the Bureau Of Mediation and Arbitration
Of the State Labor Department came
down from Albany yesterday to be on
the ground 10 undertake a settlement If
the threatened general strike was called.
1T is a question" he said, IF the state
has any right 10 intervene In the street
cleaners strike. These drivers are civil
service employees and are practically city
officers Their quitting work was not A
strike in the same sense as strike
against private employers or corpora
tons. but If the threatened general strike
OF teamsters outside of the city employees
IS ordered it becomes the duty Of the
State Labor Department TO try 70 bring
about settlement"
Michael ]. Reagan, one Of the media
tors of the state Labor Department
went 10 the City Hall with Ashton and
afterward returned alone and saw the
Mayor Ashtons proposition was put 70
the Mayor by Reagan and refused. A
committee from Brooklyn, headed by the
Rev j. Howard Melish, Of Holy Trinity
Church, brought over the same plan, and
they, Ike hundred other callers who
kept the Mayor busy all day. were
turned away.
Offer to Man All the Carts.
Henry r. Towne, president Of the
Merchants Association, and Joseph NJ
Price. chairman of the committee on
streets of the City Club. on the other
hand. assured the Mayor that they were
heartily in favor Of the stand he had
taken. and told him that a call would
bring out all the citizens needed to man
the carts
Il will call on you. if it is necessary"
the Mayor said. In the meantime the
householders must be patient and not
nag me. The department is being re-
organized and IL may take two months.
Many Of the new men have TO be taught
their wori: and the requisite number
can only be taken on gradually"
Commissioner Edwards also spoke Of
the reorganization Of the department and
when James A. Waddell. with whom the
.let f,.a,