New-York tribune., 1914-11-18
ALIEN LABOR BAN
MAY TIE UP ALL
TRANSIT WORK
Unions Threaten 10 En-
force Law Regarded as
Dead Letter"
SAY TOILERS MUST
BE u. 5. CITIZENS
americans Will MOI Weld
Pick and Shovel. Assert
Subway Contractors.

Threats Oh the par; OF labor union.
20 enforce the section OF .hc s'ate
labor law which prevents the employ
ment OF aliens OF public works nss
created a serious situation which mag
rosui, u the tying up Of all woiE on
the new rapid transit lines. Ever since
it's passage tnis lsw has never been
enforced and was treatd as a dead let
ter. There are $4,000 men employed on
the contracts now under way and the
payroll amounts 20 $1,000. 900 week.
The trouble. which has been brewing
for some time was brought TO a climaN
yesterday. wher the Oscar Daniels
Company announced that it had shut
down work on the elevated line in
White Plains Road, which is part OF
an extension of the West Farms branch
Of the existing subway. II discharged
the 100 men at work.
Other contractors for the new lines
who have received similar notification
from John Gill. Of the Bricklayers and
Nasons' Union, that in case they do
not comply with the labor law he will
take steps 10 prosecute them for vio-
lation. will meet at the Engineers
Club in West 10th ST.. at $3.50 O'Clock
tonight 10 consider the situation. II
they take the sam view that the Oscar
Daniels Company does the new rapid
transit work will be in danger Of a
complete shutdown The only solution
seems TO be a change in the law or a
court decision declaring the alien pro-
vision unconstitutional.
Seek Citizenship as Remedy.
The contractors. realizing that the
situation was about TO become acute,
have been urging their employees to be
come citizens. Hundreds are following
this advice Those who have obtained
their first papers have taken steps for
final action. Four hundred persons
made application for first papers at the
Ne York County Clerks Office yester-
day. Three hundred applied az the
County Clerks office in The Bronx.
The Public Service Commission has
not decided Just what plans win be
followed. bg. they believe the best
course to pursue is To get a decision
from the Court of Appeals. which has
never passed on the law.
The General Contractors Associ-
alton some fimc geo souobt 20 have il
,.lo, tc t,o b;.be,t cor,- Acco~Jipo
~. .onar. ,.,.to,l.. .ho.. b,d oroar.
...5 ..,.-i ,,,.,.,.,,,. coron,r,. f.,
49,. -....... ..l ...i... ...cu '..,..,
-. e.on. ha.o hoo, +oloo to
,....' 49,. e.. 90 ,b;. oo,.n.r,. i,.
4;...i e., ,..ota.ioo of ,ba labo, lo,c
.,ro,, ,,.ti.b - il n,rnosed +o test the
ra,. I'm th. counts
.n. l...t..1,. ..,;o,,. ...,.
.....r ..;l Choi,,,a, ,fcCou or t,,
p.,l.. ST. Cor,ro;ss;o, last ,;oht
49,. ....,. 3. cloorl,. rrdorstooJ ,boI
g. ...ll to.hordlod with comma, sorse
...,t.., .ont.,.;o, .Tao c,,,,,is
...n j., obliood - enforce tbe Isw and
..,..t :f;. ..lo,.t.d a,... ,,f.,o.;o, :,
..t--
would ilSoI' ne Hdole 20 Puhi'"''eH'
for misdcmeanOr.'
..:,.. t.,to..
o'H ''''''
in ine construction ol PuD'lc "o'h'
by the state ol a municipality or by
persons contracting WIN SLcA mu
ricinali,ics only citizens OF the United
.... hall ba e,cnlo,ed ard m nj
'.@''N
cases where lahof iS ehpio|eu on any
surb public work preference shall "
l;.;9o,s of tho STATE nj Now
-'''" ~
Oik. Each cohlI"C'oI "eI "IiH
inns, WORK Tor u city Of the first class
IN ,.oar , lis+ of his emploves. in
1...t.,...
Wnlcn ll 7h"Ii po o'' i0i -
are natural,Zed or native born citizens
,f ,,,o i-,ireo STATES. together with. in
.i....:... H.. lot. <r ,,,ol
N''' . IL.
naturalization and the name ot 'h-
court where such naturalization was
c,.t Ii.ts and racords shall
--@"''"' 49,. 49,.
be open TO me lhspec'i0A o' l"e O"i'
missioner oil LABOR
a violation OF ms '''''"' 9""'
constitute misdemeanOr and shall be
punishable by a fine Of not less inar
$40 nor more than 5000, or by lmprs
1,r,sn. of not less than thirty or more