New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-22
Head of Brotherhood Says
Company Must Yield or
Men Will Go Out.
OTHER UNIONS
URGED DELAY
Chairman Elliott Declares En-
ployes of Road Who Quit
Will Lose Their Places.

Unless the New York, New Haven q
Hartford Railroad yields to its freight
clerks by o'clock tonight strike
will be called. This ultimatum was
announced by John J. Forester, grand
yice-president of the Brotherhood OF
/ Railway Clerks. at a meeting of the
Harlem River lodge of the organlza-
ton held last night in the Bronx Opera
House. Bergen Avenue and l49th
Street.
az have already given to the commit
tee of the union" he said my consent
to the calling of a strike. There must
be settlement, and that settlement
must be according to the requests OF
the organization"
Mr.. Forester asserted that the com
pany was trying to disrupt the brother
hood, and that its insistence upon de-
fning the term administrative posi-
ton" and adding Office after office to
the list of administrative positions
rendered its offer to arbitrate absurd.
The United States Commission on
Industrial Relations, he continued,
ought to investigate conditions in
shops in Hartford, Conn.
James Mcdowell, Harlem River
agent of the railroad, made general
denial of Mr.. Forrester's assertions.
New Haven, Conn, June 21.-Two
thousand freight clerks of the New
York, New Haven g. Hartford Railroad
went about their tasks to-day expect
ing an order to strike. The brother
hood committee. which has negotiated
with c. L. Bardo, general manager OF
the road concerning the clerks grleV-
ances, took no action this afternoon,
and it appeared tonight that strike
would not be called until tomorrow,
when John J. Forester, national vice
president of the brotherhood, will re-
turn here. President Elliott declared
his firm conviction that the company
was within its rights and his willing
ness to arbitrate.
In explanation of Mr.. Forrester's sud
den trip out of town. It was SAID ms
presence was required "at certain
points" to smooth out trouble. The
explanation was taken to mean that the
/
strained conditions and are vexed at
the delay in calling strike.
big Five" Oppose Strike.
Another possible reason for delay is
the attitude of the big five"-the
unions of engineers fremen, conduc-
tors. trainmen and telegraphers -whose
officers met to-day Nothing concern
ing their proceedings was made public
officially, but twas said they were OPP
posed to a strike and would ask the
clerks to postpone action until COM
mittee of their members had conferred
with the clerks committee.
Howard Elliott. head Of the road,
made his position plain last night IN
! the following statement:
"Since June an earnest effort has
! been made to harmonic all differences.
| and | thought with success. until this
morning.
"No question Of wages or hours of
service IS involved. The company is
responsible for carrying the business
of the public. and TO do that it must
have some rules of procedure and dis
cipline and some plan of promoting
| men to positions of responsibility.
There are two questions now in dis
( pute with the clerks.
First, W. II. Harrington claims pay
as assistant foreman in House D, Bos-
ton, while acting in the capacity of
clerk. The company contends in this
case it was within its right in tenn
porarily abolishing the position of as
sistant foreman in House and assign
ing thereto a clerk to perform the
clerical duties Incidental to the opera
ton of the house, and to assign to the
general foreman, whose offices are To-
Gated in this house, the responsible
duties of house manager. Harrington
was paid the rates in accordance with
his position as clerk. He was never in
formed, either verbally or otherwise,
that he was to perform the duties of
assistant house foreman.
Will Get New Men.
"The second case is a claim of
clerk for assignment to the position of
foreman. The responsibility for the
selection of men for position of su-
pervison rests with the management,
and this important duty cannot be
delegated to others.
THE company has suggested that I'll
the facts be laid before any impartial
body. If, in the face Of this, the clerks
are ordered by their leaders to strike
and obey that order. the company will
have to fill the places of those who
leave its service.
1.-THE New Haven management has
always discussed with committees of
its employees any question of wages or
working conditions, and it has never
declined to meet and discuss with
grand lodge officers proper subjects for
discussion, and in those two particular
cases it is willing to arbitrate the
questions to be discussed"
Clifton Reeves and Patrick Gilday,
Federal conciiators, came to New Ha-
ven to-day. 1t was said that the Sec
rotary Of Labor had asked them to
make renewed efforts to effect a peace
full settlement of the dispute. They
did not visit the clerks headquarters,
however.
Mr.. Forester asserted to day that
the real grievance was the refusal of
General Manager Bardo to live up to
the agreement made with the clerks.
H. IL L. L.