New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-19
Unions and Directors
Refer Difference to
Old ArbitratOrS.
HITCH OVER
OLD EMPLOYEES
Road Officials Insist Con-
victed Rioters Shall
Not Return.

Unable to reach any agreement as
10 the fourteen men to whom re-
employment was refused at the termi-
nation of the recent strike because
they had been convicted Of misdemean-
ors, the directors Of the New YORK
Railways Company and the representa-
tives of the car mems union decided
yesterday to appeal to Mayor Mitchell
and Oscar s. Straus, who arranged the
recent strike agreement.
The company wishes the Mayor and
Mr.. Straus to decide whether or not
the reinstatement of these men Is
properly a subject for arbitration. The
appeal of the union is that the men be
reinstated at once under that clause
of the settlement providing that all
employees shall be returned to their
old posts without prejudice"
Pending O decision, there will be no
break in the relations existing between
the men and the company, and in con-
formity with the latest agreement a
committee will meet this morning with
Frank Hedlcy, general manager Of the
company, to discuss the demands for
higher wages and improved working
conditions recently presented.
Why Appeal Is Made.
The decision of the company to call
Mr.. Straus and Mayor Mitchell was
reached after a long discussion be-
tween the representatives of the men
and A majority of the directors, this
in turn being followed by long exec
utive session of the board. The de-
cision of the men to appeal is in line
with the strike vote of Wednesday
night, in which the officers Of the
union were instructed to confer with
those officials before putting into effect
the order to discontinue work.
At Yesterdays meeting of the repre-
sentatives of the union and the direc-
tors the discussion hinged on whether
sect;on five of the peace agreement
should be read alone, or in conjunction
with section four, and whether con-
viction Of a misdemeanor in the recent
troubles affects an employees efficiency
The contention of the men is that
the unemployment clause means no
more nor less than it actually says.
Called to meet at 2 o'clock, William
B. Fitzgerald, organizer of the Anal
pamated Association of Street Rail-
wav Employees, in charge of New York;
Hugh Frayne, representing the Amerl-
can Federation OF Labor, ana Louis
Fridicer. counsel, went to the COM
pany's Offices with committee OF EN-
nloves. headed by William Conway. A
few minutes later they were escorted
TO the office of James l. Quacken-
bush, general attorney for the COM
pany. M
Meantime a quorum of directors had
gathered in the board room. The mem
hers present were John Gambler Cobb,
OF Boston; Charles p. Rowland, George
B. Leighton, w. Leon Pepperman, Will
lam H. Remick and Mr.. Shonts. August
Belmont. Edward ]. Berwind and Rich
ard II. SwartouA absent from the city.
arranged to keep in touch with the
board by telephone. Mr.. Quackenbush
presented Messrs. Fitzgerald, Frayne
and Fridiger to the directors and to
Frank Hedley and Secretary Fisher.
Mr.. Frdiger began by explaining
that the union sought to avoid trou-
bling them, but had been compelled to
do so by the declaration of Mr.. Hedley
that he lacked authority in the matter
of the men refused reinstatement.
Mr.. Shonts asked that everything the
committee had in mind for the di-
rectors to pa upon be submitted be-
fore the board went into executive
session, but this the union spokesmen
insisted be not done.
Mr.. Fridiger then proceeded to pre-
sent the union side OF the question,
substantially as on Thursday. Fitz-
gerald followed with declaration that
the strike would not have been ended
when ID was If the men had any idea
the company would set up the right
to refuse employment to any Of the
men who had struck.
Charles P. Rowland. a new member
of the board and the representative
on il of the bondholders of the COM
pany, asked il any men had been re-
fused reinstatement because they had
been arrested, hut not convicted. Mr..
Fridiger cited two cases Of men who
had not even been arrested. Mr.. How
land asked il those cases should not
be considered separately. Mr.. FrIdiger
agreed that the directors might con-
slider the cases as they saw nj.
Officers Hard to Find.
Proceeding, Mr.. Fridiger told of
fruitless efforts to get into touch with
minor officials Of the company before
presenting a demand that they be
heard by Mr.. Shonts, when Mr.. How
land. who did most OF the talking for
the directors, interrupted.
"All that conversation" said he, rs