The sun., 1916-08-17

planned yesterday a. the once Oi the
eoinmi' sion that q CAREFUL reading oil
the agreement will s1oT that he SIDES
Nav. IT, n,iesd In the event that th,y
cannot agree In conference TO submit
practically all questions to arbitration
Including the point as to whether I'M
question that may be Immediately I'M
Ter discussion Is arbitrable or not.
The public officials h have been III
touch with the situation did not th'nk
last night that there is any near pIos-
pect Of a strike. The carmel n tneiI
leaders. however. were IN a threatening
mood last night, after having been kep'
In suspense nearly all day as to whether
: President Shonts would make any an
swer' TO the peremptory letter sent MIN
on Tuesday by tho union committed Oh
railway employees. -
Thu board of directors debated severa!
hours over the letter yesterday atter.
noon. 80 warm became the discussion
that the voices Of the debaters couid De
heard outside the committee room.
There was . rumor that iTesloen'
ehonts stood forth emphaticaiiy TOT re.
oeiyinr q committee OF the men. pu!
that the directors from Boston ana
August Belmont were for a hght. IL
also was said that Mr.. Hedley was eager
20 take issue with the carmen and make
Q fight.
Letter 70 rnion Chief.
Immediately after the meeting Presi-
Gent Shonts sent 10 William conway,
president Of the union organized amons
the men on the green car lines. the io'-
lowing letter: j.. A.
NJ. William ComUny. Room al. NO.
1911 Broddtcay. CWy.
, DEAR SIR. have your favor OF the
18th inst. and have arranged FOR MT
Frank Hedley, vice-president and gem
oral manager, to see you ana your
committee of employees OF tnls com,
pany at his office. room l22s, Iee
Broadway. at IL o'clock tomorrow
morning. Very truly yours;
T. =. SHoNTs, President.
Next he dictated n long letter to
Mayor Mitchell and Chairman Stratus In
which he set forth the position OF the
company in regard to the charges MADE
b the union men OF q deliberate ana
fragrant violation OF the agreement III
settlement Of the strike" Prior 70 ths
meeting Of the directors he had mad a
conference with . representative oil
Mayor Mitchell.
The letter refers first to the charges
made by the union men n quotes Q
statement OF J. II. Reardon. an organiser
advising the carmen to tie up trafnc.
D.. Then the letter says:
= 'lu view Of the agreement underwrit
ten by you Jointly. which we had ex'
srpected would effect ually deal with any
questions which might arise in the flu
ture, I think It important to quote para
e graphs from the letter received from a
committee Of employees and to give you
che facts relating thereto"
Forty-eight Mea Dismissed.
Then the letter quotes the unions
charge as to the indiscriminate dis
charging OF carmen, and goes on TO
cay: y.
''The facts are hat since . o'clock
p. VI. August I forty-eisht men have
been dismissed from the service OF the
company. The causes Of these dismiRah
were as follows: Twenty-eisht for fall
ure to turn in fares. fourteen for having
g been adjudged guilty Of . crime. two for
characterization. two for ~drunksnness
two for failure to report on time.
several men were laid on for having
been arrested. charged with violence In
connection with the recent strike. A. soon
- theaa men were acquitted BY the court
they were restored to service.
- no man has been DISCHARGED or inter-
fered with In sny -'ay with reference
= 20 his union Affiliations. Our oficers
!. have been instructed to comply scrupu-
iously with every detail Of both the let
ter and the spirit OF the agreement OF
August Z.
1--WE desire to call your attention TO
the fact. on the other hand. that In
many cases employees Of this company
I have clearly violated tho rules OF thin
| company some Of the violations increas-
| ing the hazard and e~ndangering the
uafety OF passengers on our carr.
I'm order. however. that there could
be no possible question OF our good faith
7 We have zone 10 extreme lengths In judg-
ing every such case In the hope that a.
\ boon NJ matters settled down to a nor
7 NAL basis the men would realize their
obligation to adhere to the rules Of the
company"
! Denies Union Charges.
1 Taking up the charge made by the
: union men that the company has vio-
I lated Its promise not to interfere with
! the union on the green car system. Pres
ident Shonts says:
The facts are that we have In no re-
spect attempted to interfere in any way
with the committees which might be
f. selected to represent employees. We
have advised the employees to select
J their W committees M have provided
/ Q method OF absolutely independent Sc
, crst balloting for those desiring to fol-
7 low that course.
: I'VE did agree 20 receive a committee
OF our men. to allow that committee to
select any advisers and spokesman II
might choose. We did not, however,
agree TO receive only one committee.
While not interfering with the union in
any way and while not refusing to re-
ee!ve any advisers or spokesman a com.
mittee OF our employees might choose
We have provided a method whereby the
interests OF every employee. union OF
n%on-union, might have representation In
dealing with the management.
q T the end that the election Of en-.
Dloyees' representatives shall beyond
question represent the wishes of tn,
men themselves, I beg to request tina,
you delegate persons to represent you
at each polling place In supervising tn,
conduct Of the election and the coun,
OF tho ballots. attach hereto a lis,
showing the location Of the polls AND
the time at which they will be open.
May Keep Out OF Union.
IAN that we want Ia that those of OIL,
men who do not desire to Join a unlor
: shall have complete freedom to refus,
to join. We have stated publicly and ",