New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-10
Unions May Suspend All
Trades Here for "a Hours
to Help Car Men.
NATIONAL FEDERATION
TO TAKE OVER STRIKE
Labor President Will Con-
fer with Traction Union
Leaders To-day.

Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor taxes
charge to-day Of the situation DE-
veloped by the traction strike. Al the
anne time the movement ceases to DC
the affair Of the Amalgamated Associa'
ton Of street Railway Employees ana
becomes the fight Of the American red
Grafton Of Labor.
Immediately on Gompers's arrival
from Boston this afternoon he VIII go
into conference with a committee OIL
the Central Federated Union, headed
by James Holland, president OF the
state branch Of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor; William b. Fitzgerald
and his associates. representing the
striking streetcar men; William Con-
ners. international president II the
Longshoremen's Union; Timothy heal!
international president of the station
airy Firemen, and other prominent
labor leaders, local and national.
The general subject for discussion
will be the local situation. The pro-
gramme advanced at meeting OF the
Central Federated Union on FRIDAY
night will be taken up.
General Strike Planned.
This programme calls for STRIKE
Of all traction employees in the metro
poiitan district. suspension of work on
all new subway contracts in which the
Interboroueh may be interested, q
strike of the longshoremen who handle
coal and other supplies for the
company. as a beginning Of hostillties.
This is to be followed, according &C.
the programme, by a suspension o.
work for at least twenty-tour houI'
bv all trades affiliated with the Amer
can Federation Of Labor IN New lofk'
These trades employ 75O.O0O men. ,
Hugh Frayne. the representative OF
Comnors in New York. refused last
night 10 discuss the action that may
be taken at to-day's meeting ..,
"Thcrc is nothing TO be SAID untN
after MIR. Gompers arrives and action
1. decided upon" he declared. The
moptinp is called for o'clock to-mor-
row afternoon. but II may be later IT.
starting, for Mr.. Gompers cannot lesVe
Rosfor until 10. Meantime ] do not
believe that ANYBODY should indulge
i'm predictions Of what viii happen. II
is Better to wait for action.
William r. Fitzgerald, who was m
!
Louis p. Fridiger. counsel for the
Amalgamatcd. would add nothing 10
Mr.. Fraync's statement.
The general situation SO far as the
Tn,crborough and the New York Rail
ways Company is concerned nc sara
was satisfactory.
More Motormen Quit.
eve have pulled out over $50 motor
mon from the l. and subway and 300
moro from other Jobs, according TO the
reports made at our meetings to-day,
he said. "The green car situation
speaks for itself to any ono who has
seen tho operations
Belief was current IN strike head
quarters. in the Hotel Continental. that
all of the traction men, Third Avenue
and Yonkcrs included, and excepting
staten Island, would vote TO strike
when ordered by Fitzgerald or dep
utv. Staten Island is not expected 20
strike because cf its isolated position
and the fact that on Friday night the
local union voted 20 remain At work
so long As the Richmond Light and
Power Company lived up 10 its contract
Meantime an assessment OF - per week
pcr man for those on strike is efec-
tive.
The calling Of these strikes. IT was
explained. would wait action by Mr..
Gompers and his associates this after
noon. Fitzgerald turning his power over
10 that official. This was IN part, at
Least. confirmed by Fitzgerald last
night
lie told reporters yesterday morning
that the situation was satisfactory TO
rim.
"Thc men arc satisfied" he declared,
"and are standing pat. The people Of
this city are going 10 zee the greatest
labor demonstration thi, part Of the
country, at least, has ever seen. Shonts
will never win this tight"
During the day Fitzgerald and his
associate organizers made several tours
e tho city. visiting tho various halls
where the men on strike were meeting.
A. these meetings the strikers were
told they were sure 10 win, that sub
rtantia aid was about TO be rendered
them, and TO try to keep out Of trou-
bio
"All hell cannot beat you If YOU
stand steady" the men of tho INTERIOR
ough were told. This strike Is as
good as won now
AZ fhpep meetings = was announced
f20 men had been induced to quit work
on the 1ntorborough lines. or these, it
was asserted. lj2 were motormen.