New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-08
Fitzgerald Says Traction
Head Was Best Witness
for Union.
SITUATION PLEASES
LEADERS IN STRIKE
I'VE Can't Lose" Their
Sentiment-Did Not EX-
pect Complete Tie-Up.

Frank Hedley, testifying before The
Public Service Commission, has made
better statement for the men than
can make. He is our best witness
His testimony is my statement TO-
night
This was the declaration Of william
B. Fitzgerald. leader of the striking car
men. at the Hotel Continental last
night when asked for a statement on
the strike:
ayes, get the record" interjected
James II. Valley, the Boston labor law
yer. "It's a splendid exposition Of the
unions case. And, remember, too, that
all Of the testimony was brought out
by counsel for the commission, Mr..
Cohen, and not by counsel for the
men"
as the situation satisfactory" Fitz-
gerald was asked.
situation Satisfactory"
at certainly is. ! do not know how
many men are out have been tied
up with the commission most of the
day. Roughly we've got 90 per cent OF
the green car men, and | do not know
how many in the Interborough. Results
will tell the story"
"Will the Third Avenue men strike -
"They certainly will not" he replied,
at least not until they have some pro-
vocation for striking, not if | have any
thing to say about it. You can bank on
it-there will be no Third Avenue
strike so long as the company keeps
faith with us
"Do you care to say anything about
the Public Service hearing" he was
asked.
"No. except that Hedley's testimony
is good enough statement of the case
for US. He's admitted everything we
have charged. He's now engaged in
trying to square Hedley of the green
cars with Hedley of the Interborough.'
Just get the record" said Valley,
"if YOU want to see Hedley in the great
role of DR.. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde"
Fitzgerald Not Surprised.
When Fitzgerald's attention was
called to the fact that the subway and
al" trains were running, he declared
that that was not at all surprising.
Certainly we expected them to run
some trains" he replied, land they are
doing it. They ran cars on me lhlrd
Avenue. too. didn't they? And on the
green car lines, didn't they? well we
won those strikes, didn't we? No man
who knows anything about the sltua-
ton expected the entire system of the
city 10 stop at once. Few strikes are
won the first day.
What will happen tomorrow was
the next question.
81 am going TO be before the Public
Service Commission again-that is one
thing certain. Whether testify again
! do not know. | expect TO hear Mr..
Quackenbush testify in the morning
That should be worth while, if he's
anywhere near as good as Hedley was.
We could not have hired a man 10
make a better case for US than Hedley
did to-day. ] am not going to char
acterize the man or his testimony-all
! ask is that the people of this town
read what he had to say for himself.
Mr.. Quackenbush will try
to square him in the morning. We
shall see"
Fitzgerald was at Lyceum Hall, in
Street, with T. j. Shea, OF
the national executive board, Nahey,
Fridiger and other leaders until almost
davbreak, but he had finished break
fast at s o'clock and receiving reports
OF his lieutenants. 80,
at looks all right" he said. "l'm
going downtown right away to the PUB
lie Service Commission.
"Any chance Of settlement"
Owe are willing to abide by the de-
cision of the Public Service Commits
sion on the issue in question we have
always been willing. We are willing
TO arbitrate. II is Hedley's refusal to
arbitrate the contract question that has
made this bother.
"The New York Railways men we're
forced into this thing by the brazen
breaking Of solemn promises of the
company. II and the lnterborough
and il are one is using every effort
possible 10 crush out unionism. II
won't be able 20 do it.
Voyusa, which were troubling us with
their fire.