New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-23
{. F. U. Delegates Votes
Will Affect $4,000 on
Wednesday.
SUPPORT CONFERENCE
COMMITTEES ACTION
Great Enthusiasm Greets
Decision to Defend
Labor.

leaders that the fate OF organized
labor rested with their decision, dele
gates TO the Central Federated Union
voted into effect last night "suspen-
sion of work" effective on Wednesday,
among forty-six allied labor bodies,
comprising $4,000 workers. Formally,
the Central Union, by unanimous de-
cision, ratified the action taken IN the
afternoon by the conference committee
in the Continental Hotel. but this
suspends work automatically.
The union chieftains who addressed
the Spokesman for the various locals
worked the fervor of the delegates TO
the highest pitch with their assertions
that unionism was fighting with us
/ back against the wall. and that delea'
IN the traction strike would deal inc
/ cause Of organized labor Perilous
/ blow. The audience rose TO us lee'
en- masse when the rising vote on lhe
motion to indorse the conference com
mittee's action was called for.
The unions affected by the action Oh
the Central Federated Union are;
Ladies' garment cutters, paper nan
dlers. nine caulkers and tappers OAK
els. iourneymen horseshoers, telephohe
workers, Local No. 6; glass WORKERS
milk handlers, pressmen, painters
Numbers. neckwear cutters, furrierS -
COAX workers. bartenders. retail CLOAK
workers. BARRIERS, musicians, "ep
nrcssmen. brewery drivers, machlnlst''
bookkeepers. stenographcrs and dc-
countants' union, sandal makers, team
sters. i,,o.od
Ethographers, cigarmakers, capmakers'
stationary engineers, carpenters acc
orators. leather goods workers, mousse
wreckers. Walters Local No ", cigar
hackers. United Hatters, coopers, COCK
carpenters, meat cutters, PAYERS, prih1-
ers- Newspaper Writers Union COOKS
fancy leather workers, pipe cutters
theatrical calcium light operators.
Before the vote was taken union
after union, through its delegates
pledged devotion TO the cause Oh the
striking sreetcar men. WINE suS1
pension of work" is the onlclai
euphemism for the Wednesday walk.
out. several speakers IN the neat "a
argument forgot themselves, apparent
ly. and used the term strike.
SAYS Women Could Win Strike.
Mrs. Grace 3. Cotterin, representing
the department store clerks, ohereo
to lead an army Of 10000 women
unionists and wives Of strlkers-to en-
gage in demonstrations.
"I,et the women throng the streets
and sit on the trolley tracks. SAID she'
"Tbat will solve the problem IN a
hurry. We women could win 1t In
twenty-four hours"
Rudolf Modest, president of the Fed
Grated Union, presided, and Ernest
Bohm, the secretary, opened the meet
ing with a speech in which he eriti-
cised the police, the Mayor and the
Public Service Commission.
1--WE must take up the cudgels for
the streetcar men," he asserted. W.
are fighting a fight that is net merely
local or statewide, but which is ma
tional fight for trade unionism and the
right to organize"
James P. Holland, president Of the
state organization Of the American
Federation Of Labor, said the Inter
borough's plan Of individual contracts
would doom organized labor unless the
present fight was won.
Are we going to sit idly by" he
shouted, "and zee the car mems union
wiped out? These contracts Will crop
out in other trades and wipe out or
ganized labor. It's the car mems union
now; it will be another union later.
We must either do something for the
car men or adjourn sine die. II this
strike is lost, labor is TO blame"
when the Mayor threatened to call
out the militia" said he, "he uttered
threat which did not improve the
temper of the men who sat in confer
ence to-day in the Continental Hotel:
[ In spite of the lamblike demeanor OF
the strikers, the Mayor anticipates vio-
lence; he has the audacity to threaten
to call out the militia, with It's rlhes
and bayonets. The prestige OF or
ganized labor is at stake In this fight.
Wo must make good"
c. Chadwick, representing the hat
tiers, declared contract or no contract,
public convenience or no public con-
venience." union men should quit work
Wednesday.
D. s. Jacobs, Of the cigarmakers,
went a step further.
"Let us sympathetic strikers form
nickel lines" he urged, land invade the
subway and elevated stations and pull
OH every SCuo kHaiu anu "h''N' '''"'''
police or no police
Following the passage OF the motion
Secretary Bohm read statement,
which, he declared, was fair digest Of
the facts prepared for public consump-
ton. 1t follows:
"The elected government Of this city
has stepped aside and given way to a
government composed of five men.
These five men are Shonts, Hedley,
Whitridge, Quackenbush and Bergoh'
The wish Of these men to-day is the
law Of New York City. The police
force Of the city is at their command:
The Mayor, his cabinet and the Board
of Aldermen have ceased TO operate 10
all intents and purposes. There IS IN
the city at the behest of these five men
an army Of criminals and general nom
descripts recruited from the nations
cutters and cesspools, none OF them
citizens Of New York and none OF them
having any kind Of taxes toward the
support Of this city. The police force
makes it its regular business TO pro-
tect this gutter army.
"The police force also makes II us
business not to project those men and
women who have their homes here, who
BIZ their labor help 70 keep this city
healthy, happy and clean. Day by day
the men who live in this city and who
help by their taxes 70 support 1t and
its government are assaulted, arrested
and sent 70 hospitals and prisons be
cauFe the new and foreign government
Of FIVE men is in control OF the city.
"Such condition is almost without
rarallel Such complete abdication
OF power by the lawfully elected gov
eminent Is unheard Of. 1t calls for
emphatic protest We call upon the
entire city to demand that the elected
government be restored TO power and
this fve-man government of despotism
be ousted forever"
The Bronx Board Of Building Trades