Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1912-12-18
STORE DRIVERS
THREATEN TO Join
TEAMSTER STRIKE
Resent Department
Concern S Helping
Out Express Co.
ACTION WOULD HOLD UP
DELIVERY OF XMAS GIFTS
Police, With Drawn RevoIvers,
Keep Strike Sympathizers
Away from Wagons.


will be the next to go out on strike
was the declaration made today by
union official. He claims that a
large department store in this city
lis helping the Peoples Express Com
pany, where the men went out on
strike yesterday. This is resented by
the union, and unless it is stopped a
sympathetic strike of the store driv-
ers will be ordered. Should this oc-
cur it will practically tie up the
moving of all Christmas presents.
Policemen armed with nightsticks
are today patroliing the strike zone
and the reserves have been rein
forced. So far the strikers have beer
peaceful. but the police are preparing
in case any outbreaks should occur
w. H. Ashton, vice-president of tbs
International Brotherhood of Team
sters, arrived here today from Al
bany, N. Y. where he had been
directing a delivery wagon drivers
strike. He said he was here to look
the situation over and help the mer
in their fight.
He declared that the main organi-
zation had taken up the matter and
voted to stand behind the local or
ganization.
Unless the big express companies
keep their hands out of this fight, we
will call out all their drivers" he de-
clared. I'VE will take up the matter
at a meeting of the executive COM
mittee of the main organization
which will be held tomorrow night.
The situation is favorable for a gen.
eral strike, and the country may see
another large express strike like that
which occurred two years ago. when
the men struck against all the large
express companies in New York and
Jersey cities"
Protest Against Action of Police.
j. r. MeDermitt. business agent
of the International Transfers
Brotherhood, local Ats, protested bit
ierly against the action of the police
Yesterday in sending out plainclothes-
men armed with revolvers to guard
the moving wagons.
One policeman rode in an automo-
bile. following one of the wagons
with his gun drawn and pointed it at
the strikers. McDermitt said that a
committee from the Essex Trades
Council will wait upon the mayor
today and protest against this ac-
tion.
sour men have been peaceful, he
said. There is no reason to intimi-
date them by sending plainclothes-
men out to point guns at them. we
are not animals, but hard working
men, who are trying to better our
conditions"
George A. Colby. secretary-treas-
urer of the local, said that the men
were prepared to stay out six months,
il necessary, to gain their demands,
and that there is enough money to
keep the strikers going for any length
of time.
, Expressmen's Association Meets.
At the Board of Trade rooms a
meeting was held this morning by
the Expressmen's Association. J. H.
Woods, speaking for the association,
advised the men to return to work,
and that they would then arbitrate.
He said: "The demands of the union
are unreasonable. 1t would be better
for us to shut down our plants now
than to grant the increaseaand keep
on Sor about six months and have to
close up in the end. We would be
paying out more money than we
earned. We have to compete with
the New York people, with the boat
conveyances. among ourselves here in
Newark and the large express COM
panies. I advise the men to return
70 work first, and we will arbitrate
afterward. There are many of the
drivers who are willing to return, but
they are afraid to do so. The union
has acted in bad faith in this strike;
they broke a contract with the Peo-
ple's Express Company that did not
expire until December 10. If the men
do not return to work within a few
days we will begin moving our
wagons"
He continued.
referring to the new wage scale
of SIS per week for New York drivers
and SIC per week for Newark drivers
an increase of 81 week in each
class would say that the Newark
and New York express owners have
always shown a disposition to meet
their men honestly and treat them
fairly. Five years ago they made
an increase of $3.50 per week in their
pay and again two years ago in
creased 1t 50 per week more. This
last increase places Newark upon
higher wage scale than any city ad-
jacent to New York. The prevailing
teamster's rate in New York city is
SIS per week and between New York
and Jersey City contracts now in ef-
feet with expressmen are SIS per week
for teams and S13 per week for single
driver. For truekmen in the city of
Newark, who are the strongest COM
petitors of the local expressmen the
rate in no case is more than SIS per
week.
As 10 Prevailing Rates.
"The prevailing railroad rates from
Newark to New York for the first
three classes is . cents per hundred
weight. and the next three classes
cents per hundredweight. with a
charge of A cents per hundredweight
for transfer in New York. making a
net rate Of 10 cents and IL cents re-
spectively. The prevailing boat rate
is cents for the first three classes
tContinued ON second Page.)