New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-06
CONTRACTORS STILL.
AFRAID OF ALIENS
See Danger of Persecution
if Supreme Court Up
holds Law.
SAY AMERICANS
PROVE WORTHLESS
Those Tried In Subway Are
Either Too Weak for Work
or Feel Above 1t.

There is an art In shovelling dirt.
Oscar Daniels, head Of the company or
subway contractors that bears his
name, said so yesterday in defending
the alien laborer. The men were not
taken back to work, however, in spite
of the ruling of the United States Su-
preme Court that the subway work
might continue with aliens on the pay
roll.
Americans who have been doing the
labor are totally unfit for it," said Mr..
Daniels, at meeting OF contractors at
the Railroad Club. at 80 Church Street.
"A man may be twice as big and strong
as his fellow and yet not do half as
much work, and tire quicker. Amer
leans are not accustomed % shovelling
dirt. and for that reason few are able
to do il.
Using a shovel with skill is just as
much of an art as pen pushing"
Thousands of Italian laborers
stormed the field Offices of the subway
contractors yesterday, armed with
picks, shovels and dinner pals. The
newspapers printed in their language
had told them all they need do was
apply and roll up their sleeves. They
were disappointed, because the con-
tractors we've wary, much as they favor
the Italian.
At the meeting of the General Con-
tractors Association, at the Railroad
Club, it was unanimously decided TO
ignore the Supreme Court writ OF
error. The contractors feel that if
they did re-engage aliens, and the law
should be upheld. they might be liable
to prosecution afterward. They hoped
that the repeal bill in the Legislature,
sponsored by Governor Whitman, would
be passed and end their troubles.
The Governor arrived in New York
last evening, and asked before he left
the Grand Central Terminal whether
the Board of Estimate had taken any
action on the alien labor question.
That body, at its meeting in the after
noon, unanimously adopted resolu-
tion advocating the repeal of the law.
at seems to me a good thing and
quite proper that the city authorities
should have put themselves on record
on this momentous question" the Gov
ernor said.
Two-thirds Of the contractors build
ing the dual subway were represented
at the Church Street meeting, and they
agreed that the American workman
was hopelessly unsatisfactory as pick
wlelder. II they were not physically
unfit to do the work they considered it
beneath them, it was alleged.
As n result Of the stand taken by the
contractors, it was said, millions OF
dollars worth of contracts throughout
the state, including work on the Erie
and Champlain canals and the state
highways, would be paralyzed within
q week.
Clarence A. Crane. secretary Of the
General Contractors Association, said
the organization would stick to its
policy and refuse TO take on alien
laborers until the law was changed.
This temporary stay will not affect
the contractors in any way" he de-
clared, "hrcause il fails to give them
protection. The banks do not want TO
loan money TO the contractors under
the present conditions, so the con-
tractors must go ahead and comply
with the law"
Opposed to the repeal OF the anti
alien workman law, the Central Fed
Grated Union met last night at the
LABOR Temple, in East Eightyfourth
Street, and condemned every one and
everything favorable to the repeal Of
the law. The contractors. it was al
legged, were able to get as much Amer
lean labor as they needed. On Monday
a delegation will go TO Albany to OPP
nose the repeal of the law.