New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-17
OIL MEN MOVE
TO END STRIKE
Committee Will Meet Off
Gals at Standard
Plant To-day

A step that may result in the early
settlement of the strike Of Standard
Oil Company employees in Bayonne, N.
j., which is keeping 1000 men out OF
work, will be taken this morning, when
a committee Of ten, representing the
strikers, will confer with representa-
tives Of the company in the Standard
Offices. The appointment of the strik-
ers' committee and the arranging of the
arbitration conference were the result
Of two meetings Of strikers held yes
terday. Meanwhile rioting has ceased
in the city.
At a gathering Of nearly 1000, held
in the morning in Mydosh's Hall, in
the heart Of the strike "war zone"
where bullets were flying a few days
ago, it was decided to appoint one COM
mitteeman TO represent each Of the
eight departments of work affected.
The other two members of the COM
mittee are James II. Dougherty, coun-
sci for the strikers, and George Melch-
er, a Socialist newspaper man, who has
been one of their leaders and presided
at the mass meeting.
Mems Attitude Given
This committee met in Mr.. Dough-
erty's Office to discuss arbitration
plans. There Mr.. Melcher made clear
tho mems attitude toward returning.
He declared they would not go back to
work until definite assurance had been
given they would receive an increase
in wages.
The original demands had been an
increase of 80 per cent for men re-
ceiving less than SO day and an in
crease of 20 per cent for those getting
more than that amount. Mr.. Melcher
said the strikers would be willing to
compromise.
Mr. Dougherty urged the men to re-
turn to work pending arbitration, but
! Mr.. Melcher declared the strikers were
in no mood to accept promises, adding
that the strikers in the Bayway plant
would also appoint committeeman.
The Standard probably Will be rep
resented at to-day's meeting by George
B. Hennessy, superintendent, and John
II. Clifford, general manager. Superin'
tendent Hennessy has repeatedly stated
the company will not agree to any in
crease, though he is willing to discuss
other questions.
Police Guard Hall
Policemen and detectives occupied
every strategic point when the meet
ing was called TO order in Mydosh's
Hall yesterday morning. At every door
and window were two bluecoats. De-
tcctives were on the stage with the
speakers and more were out of sight
behind the platform. Outside the hall
tho guard was equally heavy, and In
spector Cady's men from the Tidewater
plant, armed with shotguns, were con-
sp!cuous.
Mr.. Melcher opened the meeting by
advising the strikers to be peaceable.
He declared more could be accomplished
by argument and persuasion than by
violence. He introduced Mr.. Dough
erty.
"You won your first big victory in
this fight with the Standard Oil Com
pany to-day" Mr.. Dougherty said,
when the officials of the company
agreed to confer with your committee
and 70 take all Of you back without
prejudice when the strike is settled"
The speaker then proposed a COM
mittee be appointed to confer with the
company representatives,. with. full
power to act on any proposal on behalf
of the men. This brought many pro-
tests, however, and it was finally de-
cided TO give the committee no final
powers.
Publisher Urges Arbitration
Hyman Lazarus, publisher Of Bay
onne newspaper, who attended the
meeting as the representative OF Mayor
Garven, spoke next, advising the men
TO accept arbitration and return TO
work pending a settlement. The near
est approach to conflict during the
gathering came when MIR. Lazarus re-
ferred to the strikers leaders as agi-
tators.
An angry outburst of protests fol-
lowed Mr.. Lazarus's question as TO
whether the men would be willing to
return to work pending the arbitration
of the wage dispute. The strikers
showed emphaticslly they did not ia
vor returning until they had received
something moro definite than promises.
Efforts of Mrs. J. Sergeant Cram, of
New York, wife of former Public Ser