New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-03
Carmen Will Arbitrate All
but Right to Organize,
He Declares.
PREDICT
TIE-UP ON 2 LINES
Green Car and Queens Routes
Will Be Affected Tomorrow,
Labor Men Believe.

When william b. Fitzgerald, leader
OF the striking carmen left his hotei
last night to address a series OF organ
ling meetings, he declared there would
be no extension Of the strike to-day
Men close TO Mr.. Fitzgerald predicted
that an order to strike the New YORK
Railways, operating the green cars or
the New York and Queens, operating
inthe Borough of Queens. and perhaps
both, would be voted early tomorrow
Morning. II necessary, this order
would include the men in the power
plants, they said.
The labor men will attend the peace
conference this morning in the Mayor
Office nrepared to arbitrate every ques-
t;on except the right to organize. mat
right they will insist is not SUBJECT
for debate. They are ready to cohceue
rho nrinciple of the open shop, but VIII
insist that the men have the right 10
treat with the companies through ON
GERS of their choosing.
FITZGERALD States Views.
Mr. FITZGERALD outlined the situation
thus:
"There will be no strike tomorrow
YOU can depend upon that. In the
morning the companies will get the de-
mands formulated in the letter 70
Mayor Mitchell and sent to the Mayor IN
fulflment of our promise that ne wou'u
be kent advised of our demands .
1--WE will attend the conference VIII"
Mr.. shonts and other railroad men
called at the Mayors Office at ~ TO-
morrow morning. We will stand by our
rronosal to arbitrate anything except
the right to organize. That cannot Dc
arbitrated.
"ueanwhile we are the busiest or
ganizers you ever saw. That is the
work we are doing, not ordering strikes
The work is progressing satisfactorily
on every system in the city.
"The increase in wages or SUBWAY
cmploves comes as no surprise IL Is
an indication that the company Is
frightened and is attempting to mead mead
us off. II will not work that way Inc
men have sense. They can see through
a grindstone if there Is a mole III -
What they want 10 know is no" NUN y
they will get when organized II the
mere threat Of organizing brings inc
company around this way. III.
Dir. Fitzgerald added that the spirit
of the men was revelation IT,.
"Ihey are after us. We are not alter
them he SAID.
Mani Join Organization.
At the Lyceum, at Eignty-siXin
Street and Third Avenue, steady
stream of men fled in 10 sign cards
and paid the admission fee, as well as
representativcs OF roads not yet al
fected. One delegation came from
Staten Island to ask for organizers.
N. J. Higgins. who led the big BIS
ton strike which resulted in the union
ling of the traction system IN that
CITY. was in charge at the Lyceum.
81 should say roughly that we have
900 OF the 5000 men on the green
cars" said Higgins. I'm addition 70
those who have really enrolled there
are hundreds Of others who, pit
fearful of the result, are standing
quietly by waiting for developments
From many such we have assurances
that when the time comes they Will
quit. .... -
come in. II is said that this morning
will see large additions TO Fitzgerald
staff of assistants. made necessary Dy
the spreading Of the work. some are
being sent here by the national or
ganization, others by locals IN large
cities which have offered money "heh
needed.
Firemen May Strike.
fitzgerald also has the assistance OF
Hugh Frayne. of the American Fedora
I tion of Labor. and Timothy Healy, IN
/ ternational president of the Stationary
Fire. is also on his staff. On good au,
+ thority il is said that if Fitzgerald and
+ Ills associates decide that it is neces-
sarv to strike the power plants TO ex-
redite a settlement the tiremen Will be
called out. thus hitting at the heart OF
the entire traction situation.
FITZGERALD was inclined to be indig-
nant last night over the report IN even
ing papers that strike notices had been
sent to Mayor Mitchel
81 never authorized any such state
ment or even intimated that this IS the
case" he declared. eve do not want
to strike any lines if we can possibly
avoid it."
According TO some leaders the meth
cd of calling an extension or the strike
/ If it were voted. would be to call a
series of mass meetings, one for each
ln 81