New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-20
MATCH TRUST NO MATCH
FOR WOMEN IN STRATEGY
Fair New Workers Now Watch
ing Lest They Be 0VerreaChed
by Apparent Surrender.
COMPANY DISAV0WS PLOT
Officials Say They Are Not At
tempting Secret Negotiations
with Aldermen to Hold
Up Measure.

The match trust plot to unload Its
unsafe product on New York City by post
poning for six months the prohibtory city
ordinance against white phosphorus and
| "after-glow" matches has failed. The
alertness of the women and of the press
has convinced the trust" that II is no
match for them in fighting the clan
destine amendment to the regulation In
the Board Of Aldermen. The women, how
ever, are not quite satisfied with the APP
parent surrender Of the match men. They
regard the situation suspiciousy and are
prepared to sleep with one eye trained on
the City Hall.
The argument Of the match men was
that II would cost them a lot Of money
TO change their machinery TO meet the
New York requirements by January ],
1913. They wanted a postponement Of the
ordinance for six months. The Municipal
Explosive Commission, which enacted
the ordinance, could not amend II. Fire
Commissioner Johnson was appealed to
by the match men, on the ground that
II was Illegal TO enact a city ordinance
that did not conform to the federal en-
actment, which gave the trust until
January I, 1915, to get rid Of its supply
of white phosphorus and "after-glow'
matches. While Deputy Commissioner
Olvaney was graphing with the legal
phase the Federation OF Women's Clubs,
the Housewives League, the Henry
Street Settlement workers and the Com
mittee OF Safety declared war on the
trust"
In order to effect opposition to the or
dinance If public hearings were ever held
before 1t was amended, the match IN
terests some time ago began 10 unload
matches on city dealers, big and little
alike by Offering 100 per cent additional
free goods" with every purchase. Many
retail grocers placed orders for future
deliveries Of poisonous "after-glow'
matches big enough 10 carry them well
into 1913 Floyd Smith, a former sales
man for the Diamond Match Company,
made an affidavit on November IS 20 the
effect that the retail trade IN New York
City had a distinct feeling that the new
match law would not be enforced At
the time of making the affidavit Mr..
Smith was a salesman for an independent
company.
Edward r. Stettinius, president of the
Diamond Match Company, authorized The
Tribune to deny the report that his COM
pany was making secret negotiations
with certain aldermen TO change the
ordinance so as TO favor the trust lie
also said his concern was not cutting
prices 10 enlist the aid Of the retailers.
In the Bureau Of Combustibles, only two
licenses were TO be found which indi-
Gated, according to the independent match
concerns, that the other manufacturers
had been given to understand that the
present match regulation would not stand.
Warren b. Hutchinson, patent lawyer
of No. III Broadway, who Is president
OF the Salvation Match Company, Ia
vored the present ordinance In the pubic
hearings because his company was max
ing non-poisonous matches Of the I'M
pregnated" variety at the time. lie
offered assurance yesterday that he wouId
do everything in his power to see That
the ordinance was enforced after it went
into operation on January /, 1913 AS a
competitor of the so-called match trust
Mr.. Hutchinson said he believed the Dls
manufacturers were prepared to supply
New York with the non-poisonous impreg-
mated product by January /.
II was hard to discover yesterday Where
responsibility rested for the proposed
change of the law. Fire Commissioner
Johnson said he had washed his hands
of the whole matter" Deputy Commas
sioner Olvaney declared that the whole
thing was down at the City Hail. While
Alderman CORTLAND Nicoll, chairman oil
the Committee on New Ordinances SAID
he hadn't heard a word about changing
the ordinance