New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-21
Women in Crowd of 10000
Claw OffCerS-Plant
Shuts Down.
COMPANYS BOATS
UNDER ARMED PATROL
Officials Defy Union Leaders
and Say They'll Treat Only
with Employees.
LRr Telegraph to The Tribune J

Bayonne, n. j., July 20.-Between
| $500 ard 1000 workers are now on
strike at the Constable Hook plant Of
the Standard Oil Company, and there
are indications that as many more will
walk out from the Tide Water and Va
cuum Dill companies and the other
/ Rockefeller company in Elizabeth to-
( day
/ 1t was unoficially declared that the
, trouble has been caused by agents hos
/ tile to England Several prominent
Hungarians and Poles in this city are
said TO be acting for unknown persons
/ in the interests Of Germany. The la
borers, however, deny these statements
and reiterate that they merely want
more pay and better conditions.
Il was feared that me Standard Oil
works might be damaged from explo-
sions. An Italian was found digging
| hole under one of the tanks inside the
| high wall that surrounds the plant As
/ soon as he was arrested several men
popped up from nowhere apparently
and, after firing several snots, disap-
peared.
All day there have been scrimmages
between police, deputies and strikers.
Women, especially, fought vigorously
/ whenever striker was arrested, claw
/ ing the officers and using their fists.
When the men came to work early IN
the morning these fights began. Those
wishing to work were prevented, and
any attempt to get laborers within the
wall was frustrated.
Stones and bricks were hurled at the
| police at intervals. They replied with
/ clubs. but the strikers seemed not 20
/ mind broken heads. The entire police
force, strengthened by a hundred depu-
! ties, took their stand before the plant
( to prevent men climbing the ten-foot
wall 70 stop the few working within.
/ Once during a particularly vicious as
sault Daniel Cady, inspector of police,
/ appeared in an automobile to investI-
/ gate. Immediately a rock was hurled
/ through the cars wind shield. The
crowds refused 10 retire, and increased
until fully 10000 persons swarmed
about the works.
, Late last night the strikers issued
statement saying that they were WORK
ing only for better conditions and
chance to give their children an educa-
ton, and that until conditions were
bettered they would maintain their at
titude. Officials of the company, on
the other hand, say thal the Itou"lc -
all due to professional agitators,. who
have no interest IN the men s welfare,
and that they will deal only directly
with employees, standing ready to con-
slider any complaint or request that me
emploves themselves make.
When it was seen that serious
trouble threatened, the company closed
down the entire plant and sent out
those who had succeeded in entering
the works. Special guards in tug
boats patrolled the Kill van Kull to
prevent any attack that might come
from that side of the plant, and against
the boats moored at the piers.
To make sure that none of these
would be blown up, they were later
towed up the Bay and anchored close
TO the Statue Of Liberty.
Company Officials declare that they
have enough oil TO last a year, and
that. if necessary, they will do without
the strikers and draw oil direct from
Philadelphia to the boats. Leaders Of
the strike deny that there is sufficient
oil in the tanks, and are sure there is
nowhere near the amount that the en-
ployers claim.