New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-05
Labor Leader Arrives to
Aid Car Men-SayS
Tie-Up Is Certain.
FITZGERALD HITS
SHONTS STATEMENT
Declares Signers of Loyalty
Pledge Are "Hand.Picked'
Employees of N. Y. Rys. Co.

| Such assistance, financial or other
wise, as the American Federation oil
Labor may be able to extend to the
streetcar men was pledged to William
d. Mahon yesterday afternoon by Sam
uel Gompers, president OF the fedora
ton. He came to New York for the
purpose of canvassing the general labor
situation. When he left his hotel he
was of the opinion that nothing could
block city-wide tie-up.
81 can see no hopes Of avertlng a
demonstration" he told reporters
"The only hope for arbitration, as see
it, is after the demonstration tonight
The action CO the companies in not an
swering the communication Of the or
ganization before 3 o'clock has greatly
aggravated the situation.
Reports from my own men, acting
independently of the representative OF
the AmalgamateG Association, SHOW
that the traction employees OF New
York are generally enthusiastic in ex-
pressing their desires to be organized.
They are determined to be organized
and they should be organized. 1t is
rather late in the day for any man to
say that the right TO organize IS not
possessed by every group of men,"
Gompers Goes to Conference.
Leaving the hotel, Gompers went to
consult with men prominent in other
lines of trade. This led to the report
that he was concerned with rumors to
the effect that the traction trouble
might spread until a city-wide strike in
various industries would result.
Hugh Frayne, organizer OF the fed
Grafton in New York and one OF those
with whom the chief consulted at the
Continental, said he knew nothing OF
such q movement
81 cannot say Il word about it, for !
do not know" he explained. Just now
am interested only in this streetcar
situation"
Soon after Gompers left the hotel
word came from downtown that FRANK
Hedley had sent letter to Thomas
Doherty, chairman of the committee OF
green car employees, to present the de-
mands of the union to the company
this afternoon. A few minutes before
at 3 o'clock, 10 be Mahon, snap
ping his watch closed, remarked, We'll,
the time is up" referring to the time in
which an answer TO the demands was
expected.
Prepared to Go Further.
Does that mean that all oppor-
tunity for the company TO accept the
demands has been lost" he was asked,
"or will the men consider any answer
that may be received prior to- their
meeting tonight"
That is about right" he said.
"Three O'Clock was the time limit set,
but we are prepared to 30 further
than that. Any reply received by the
committee prior to the presentation OF
the report to the meeting will be in
cluded in it, The fact is, however
that the time limit expired without
any reply being received. 1t is now
up to the men,"
"Does that mean a strike"
at is up to the men. 1t is for them
to say what they want 10 do, what
they will do. do know, however,
that no reply Of any sort has been re-
ceived here as yet. How is the reply
comingW
Special delivery" was the answer.
"Nell, it should be here soon. When
the men get it they can tell what they
wish TO do"
Mahon believed a strike vote would
be the result Of the night meeting of
q n a ~
full not TO say as much in so many
words. In his opinion, the statement
that large number of employees of
the green cars, more than a majority
had signed an expression OF loyalty,
meant nothing.
"The thing that will really count"
said he, "is not what they signed yes
terday or the day before at the behest
of the company, but how they will vote.
Men Continue to Enroll
"Our reports show that employees of
the company are not only enrolled in
large numbers, but continue to enroll.
The system is fully organized"
Fitzgerald, after attending a meeting
of the Public Service Commission and
making a round Of the various union
headquarters, returning to the hotel in
the late afternoon, lacked hope of a
peaceful settlement. In evidence of
this he, Mahon and their associates
formed an executive committee to
handle such strike questions as might
arise, and designated a finance COM
mittee TO handle all funds.
at is all nonsense for Shonts TO give
out that "a per cent of the men in the
employ of the New York Railways are
satisfied and loyal to the company"
said he. "As a matter of fact, he only
claims % per cent of the men ques-
toned. and not all of the men on the
system. The truth is that we have 95
per cent of the green car employees en-
rolled now.
THE demonstration Of marlborough
employees last night, and again to-day,
was nothing more nor less than the
work Of hand-picked men. II was
staged all right, but it ends right there.
Continuing to Organize.
Eve are continuing the work of or
gaining in Staten Island and else
where. am informed that the car
men down there are in good shape.
Brooklyn? Well, you watch Brooklyn.
What will happen there will surprise a
lot of good folks"
Fitzgerald went 20 attend a confer
ence where Mr.. Hedley's letter was re-
ceived. II was not given out, but il
was stated that, instead Of being a re-
ply 70 the demands of the men, it
simply acknowledged their receipt and
offered 10 meet committee this after
noon. The conference lasted more than
an hour When it was concluded its
decision was withheld.
you will have 70 await develop
ments Tonight he said. II cannot