New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-24
Employers Ready to Solve
Criminal and Civil
Questions.
SEEK TO SHOW
NEED OF ALIENS
Union Will Fight on Ground of
Vio1ationS-FeW Americans
Can Fill Jobs.

There will be a test Of the alien la
Dor law. not only IN n civil action, but
also in a criminal action, according to
most excellent authority. Both &C
tons will be started al the earliest
possible moment, IN order that the law
may go before the Court Of Appeals
10 pass upon its constitutionality from
all the various angles.
George S. Coleman, counsel; Leroy
T. Hardness, assistant counsel. and
Travis II. Whitney. secretary Of the
Public Service Commission, conferred
with Edward NJ. Grout. counsel for the
General Contractors Association. and
others all yesterday afternoon. They
would not talk Of the result Of their
conference further than to say they
had made progress in arranging for a
test of the law
The Crawford company, in Brooklyn,
which laid off 500 aliens on Saturday
and advertised for American citizens
TO take their places, found only forty
men yesterday qualified to do the nee
essary work II was stated that some
100 applications were received OF the
two Crawford contracts, but only forty
men had any experience in Snoring
work. This is most important, as un-
less IL is done properly the danger Of
accident is great.
Jeremiah A. OIeary, counsel for the
Brickiaycrs and Masons' Union, de-
MED yesterday that two-thirds of the
$4,000 men employed on the subway
work were aliens lie said that not
more than 5000 were not American
citizens.
As 20 the statement that the alien
labor law was contrary TO the United
States treaty with Italy. Mr.. OIeary
said such discrimination against ltal-
ian citizens could not be compared
with the discrimination against Amer
lean citizens in Italy.
When the complaint Of the union
against the dock contractor comes be-
fore the Public Service Comm ssion to-
morrow. Mr. OLeary said. he would
insist upon an abrogation of the con-
tract on the ground that the company
had violated the alien labor law. If
On consideration counsel for the com
mission and the contractors deem this
a good case TO use for a test of the
law they will take an appeal and carry
the case right Up to the Court of APP
peRls
At the meeting of the Central Fed
Grated Union on Friday there will be
howl raised because in the dischrrg
of aliens many members Of the unions
have been laid off The law requires
that none except full-hedged citizens
he employed or public works. Ths
unions take in men who have got out
their first citizenship papers.
John Gill, business agent Of the
Bricklayers' Union, said last night that
he had made arrangements with the
Municipal Employment Bureau to re-
ceive applications from American citi-
zens willing 20 do subway work at 50
a day. This, Mr.. Gill asserts, is fair
wage for eight hours work. The Mu-
nicipal Employment Bureau is located
at lbs Leonard ST.
There are at least $4,000 men, all
American citizens, out of employment
in the City of New York, ready and
willing to do any kind of honest work. "
said Mr.. Gill, providing they are paid
living wages. but who will not work
for 81 % 70 Sl75 a day, which has
been heretofore paid by the subway
contractors"