New-York tribune., 1911-11-10
EDWARDS SAYS HE
WILL BREAK STRIKE
Declares Drivers Who Went Out
Won't Get Jobs Back While
Gaynor Is Mayor.
LEADERS IN DEFIANT MOOD
Threaten to Ask International
Union of Teamsters to Call
General Strike-FeW Acts
of Violence Reported.

Confident that the strike of the drivers
of the Street Cleaning Department would
be broken by Sunday. and determined.
with the approval of the Mayor, that not
one Of the strikers would get his Job
back while the Gaynor administration
was in power, Commissioner Edwards
said last night the detective agencies
cities TO which me had applied for new
hands had promised him they would fur
nish six thousand strike breakers by to-
morrow.
Mr. Edwards added that from the Civil
Service list he also would be able to get
several thousand men. He thanked his
stars the weather was so cool that dan
ger of a restilence, especially in the con-
gested districts on the East and West
sides and in the williamsburg and South
Brooklyn sections, need not be feared by
the pubic. He regretted the discom-
fort caused TO the people by the strike,
but asked them To possess their souls i'm
patience for a few days. He said the
strike breakers would sleep in the depart
ment sta bles. so as not 10 be mOlested by
the $500 strikers and their sympathizers
after dark.
While there have been some disturb
ances of the peace since. the declaration
of the strike. only a few acts Of violence
have been reported to the police. Com
missioner Waldo has three thousand men
on strike duty, and in each station house
the reserves are being held for emer-
gency work. Members Of the State Board
of Arbitration who called Yesterday on
Commissioner Edwards were told there
was nothing for them to do. He said It
was crime for the men to strike, that
they should have considered the menace
to health which such a strike inevitably
would cause. and, any way, for the most
part their grievances were imaginary.
General Strike Threatened.
The strike leaders say their only de-
mand was for the abolition Of night
work during the winter months. and that
even if Big Bill" got twenty-five thou
sand men he still would be unable to
break the strike. The men said II they
were pushed TO desperation they would
ask the International Union Of Teamsters
to declare a general strike OF drivers in
the city, and in such case the drivers
of coal wagons would be the first TO be
called out
The strike leaders also say the men
were protected by civil service laws,
and if necessary they would apply for an
injunction to prevent the Mayor and Mr..
Edwards from striking the names of the
strikers from the civil service lists.
Leaders gave imperative instructions to
their men yesterday TO avoid violence,
men, who were protected by four patrol
men. were attacked By strikers and their
sympathizers at First avenue and 49th
street. Children from Public School 135.
First avenue and 51St street, who had
Just been dismissed, became terrified
when the police drew their revolvers and
rushed al the attacking party. Reserves
were called, and on their approach the
mob dispersed.
Strike breakers. accompanied by police.
also were charged by a crowd at both
street and the East River, but the ar
rival OF reserves put the assailants to
flight. At Courtlandt avenue and 154th
street, The Bronx, new hands were show
cred with bricks and stones The crowd
became so large that reserves from the
Morrisania station had TO be summoned.
In none of these cases were there any
arrests nor was any one seriously IN
iured.
Meantime. the streets Of the city are
being piled up with ashes. garbage and
refuse of all kinds. Unless Commissioner
Edwards succeeds in his plans Health
Commissioner Lederle will take action.
Big BiIl' Declines Arbitration.
Colonel Michael J. Reagan and John
J. Bealin, Of the state Board Of Arbi
traticn, called yesterday afternoon upon
Commissioner Edwards in his office. No.
Is Park Rov-
Gentlemen" said Big Bill" there
is no use in wasting time. There's moth
ing to he done-nothing that YOU can do.
These men are guilty Of insubordination
They discharged themselves, leaving the
city in such condition as to be men
ace 10 its health
Mr. Edwards then gave out "Gener,I
order No. 26," which will be read at all
the street cleaning stations this morn
ing. The order warns the street sweep
ers that If they join the striking drivers
they will lose their jobs and never have
chance to return to them The order
says:
There are over eighteen hundred men TO-
day who lost their jobs In the Depart
mGnt Of Street Cleaning. Think of the
homes OF these men and how their IA miles
viii suffer- Many men among them are
GOOD men, yet they did not have the coiIr-
age of their convictions to drive out a
cart to-day. Think solemnly and soberlv
over this matter before you take any
drastic acton. ~; There are thou
want every sweeper TO realize that ne
must work as hard az possible 10 keen
The streets clean, for sanitary conditiops
a,ust be as good as we can make them
Take care lest some one rob Won
Of your position and your family OF its
bread and pul'er'
Earlier in the day Commissioner Ed
wards had talk with the Mayor who
cold he would support him in determined
resistance 70 the strikers demand In
,o.,or to the Commissioner the Mavor
,,roed him TO see TO it that not one OF
.ha strikers got back into city employ
mt again. We can get along without
.hom Let the contract system
-, resorted 10 If necessary"
~ rhe Mayor said the city paid the men
ma highest wages for the shortest hours
"a mai a pension law had been passed
"II" II ,rlnfor Hn L.,i-.--, 4,