New-York tribune., 1916-02-28
Gompers Coming Here to
Weld AffIiatiOn of Pro-
posed Organization.
MISS STRACHAN SEES
NO NEED FOR PLAN
High and Elementary Schools
Included-Prendergast Blamed
for Salary Threats.

Plans FOR bringing the school teach
ers OF the New York public educational
system under the wing OF the American
Federation Of Labor have progressed to
the extent Of the appointment Of =
steering committee, the drawing up OF
union principles for the teachers and
the setting Of dates for mass meetings
to drive the movement home.
SamIel Gompers will come 20 New
York this week 20 confer with COM
mittee OF teachers and principals, with
"a view of setting up the teachers union
IN form that can affiliate with the
American Federation Of Labor. The
move among the teachers Is being
fathered by the Teachers League Of
New York City.
The president OF this organization Is
Henry r. Linyille. teacher in Jamaica
High School. Pursuant to resolutions
passed ct a recent meeting Of the
league, he has appointed as commit
tee on unionization Jay d. Lester, Of
Boys School ~. Brooklyn; Daniel C..
Rosenthal. Of De Witt Clinton High
School; Bernard NJ. Parelhof. also OF
De Witt Clinton, and A. Keil, Of a
Brooklyn elementary school.
"On March we will issue a general
statement of our plans and an appeal
to all teachers 10 join US in the move
ment for unionization," Mr.. Linyille
said Yesterday. con March 10 we will
have a great mass meeting in Washing
ton Irving High School for the purpose
Of making the movement a general one
among all classes OF teachers and
through their various organizations.
among The speakers will be Miss
Margaret Haley. head and organizer Of
the teachers union in Chicago. Hugh
Frayne, general organizer Of the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor, also viii
speak, as viii Leonora O'Rellly
"The needs for union nave become
pressing. and the situation has become
acute since Controller ?rendergast has
taken the stand ne did. We have been
threatened with reduction Of salaries
and insecurity IN our tenure OF once
especially owing 10 The EFFORTS OF the
citv authorities to get control OF the
salaries and tenure OF ONCE through
their home rule bills
The Teachers League has as mem
bcrs teachers in both high and ele-
mentary schools. and Of both sexes,
throughout the city. Mr.. Linville said
he did not know yet what the general
attitude of the Board Of Education
would be toward unionZation. but had
heard indirectly that several oil the
members were not opposed 10 IT, ana
that he had directly letter from Mary
r.. Dreier. OF the board, saying nat she
was glad the teachers had taken up the
union movement, and was heartily in
favor Of it.
The union movement. however, IS not
universal among the teachers organi-
cations. Miss Grace {. Strachan, presi-
dent of the Interborough Association Of
Women Teachers and ce-president OF
the Federation Of Teachers Assocla-
tions. said that there has been no
cognizance taken Of the movement IN
the organizations with which she IS as
sociated.
81 am not aware Of any advantage
unionization would have over our pres
ent form o. teachers organizations
she remarked.
81 have heard Of the plans OF the
Teachers League. That is small or
ganization. not, since a short time ago,
affiliated with our Federation OF Teach
ers Associations, and We do not think
tuuch of il