The sun., 1916-09-22

I'VE do not believe that any lasting re-
suit can he attained by either party using
Its coercive power upon the other. Least
of all do we believe such a result a be
secured by violence. by sympathetic
strikes or by imposing h%ardships upon
innocent and neutral parties. Neither
employees nor employers should. in order
to secure their Just rights. resort to In
dustrial war. II has been the aim Of the
Mayor and Of the Public Service COM |
mission from the beginning to have n
plan adopted which would secure a fair,
reasonable and equitable method Of ad-
justment by peaceful means upon some
such basis as was embodied In the agree
ments Of August 8 and Z. We have ap-
pealed to both sides to recognise that
lasting Industrial peace annot be
founded upon arbitrary power. but must
rest upon a basis Of equity and mutual
understanding.
Dsty Of City Government.
while the conduct Of the men on
strike until Tuesday last was for the
most part orderly and peaceful. we wish
to point out to you that each new strike
declared Ia calculated to add to the prob
ability Of disturbances and disorder. II
is the duty Of the city government to
maintain order and enforce al observ-
viz VI tIc avs Z pIotCtt llIC, pIOpCEty
and the rights Of individuals to labor
and Of the public to travel without inter-
ference or physical violence. The Mayor.
representing the civil forces of govern
ment in this city. feels II incumbent upon
him to say to you now. before any FUR
ther rash step ID taken. that these duties
the city government will discharge to the
full. employing II need be it's entire re-
sources to that end. Disorder. assaults
and crimes nf yiplanCo iprt,.ainU tnt.rp
to innocent citizens, such as those Of
Tuesday and Wednesday. will be sup
pressed with a strong hand and punished
with all the vigor at the command of
government.
Members OF your committee indicated
In conference with the Mayor on Mon
day that in all probability a condition
Of much more serious disorder would
follow upon the declaration Of synpa-
thetic strikes. particularly In the ship
ping industries. To call these strikes
will be to assume full responsibility for
all that may follow.
Threat 10 Cell Out Troops.
w live under a government Of laws
whose enforcement Is committed into
the hands OF the Mayor. Conditions
which you, yourselves, have indicated
might follow general sympathetic strikes
would be grossly violative OF the laws
and would convulse the civilized and
orderly life Of this community.
I'VE wish to make II Enthusiastically
clear to you that to prevent that condi-
ton the full civil n military powers
conferred by a. upon the Mayor viii
be employed.
W trust that the sober second
thought and better Judgment OF the men
who direct the course and policies OF
organized labor In this city will lead
them 20 refrain from declaring sympa-
thetic strikes.
Yours very truly.
JOHN PuRRoY Mitchell
Mayor.
OSCAR 2. SrRAus.
"Chairman Public Service Commission
First District.
FPayne C0nments On waFniaG.
A ccpy Of the Mayor and Mr..
Strauss Joint letter wa read to Mr..
Frayne at the Hotel Continental last
| night before he arrived. He FIRST dis
cussed the conferences held during the
day and repeated part Of the speech
made by President Gompers TO the citi-
xens' committee in the presence Of the
Mayor.
president Gompcrs," said Mr.. Frayne.
addressed the Mayor and our ~ men,
saying the men must continue TO night
and not surrender their right to or
ganizc tina every assistance that could
be given them by the A. r. OF l.. would
be given 10 maintain the right OF rec =
milton within the law"
Asked II all negotiations toward peace
had ended he said that the Mayor. Mr.
Straus and the committee aid they
would he glad at any time to do what
they could to adjust the strike.
Mr.. Frayne's face grew exceedingly
grave as he listened to the reading Of
the conclusions in the Mayors letter
and the request that the labor unions
should not call n general sympathcti;
strike.
He Accuses h InterborouGh.
Our position Is tina, the compan,
did violate the agreements OF August
and : through a letter which they ISSUED
a few days aftCv the settlement o
the strike. saying to their men tina
they were not bound by the agreement.
The master and servant contract wa
another violation OF the contract. The!
had the right to ask their non-unioi
employees to sign those contracts. bu
they had no right to compel member
Of the union to sign them. We are sat
isfed there was a deliberate attempt oil
the part OF the traction companies 4
destroy the agreements Of August
and Z.
I'VE maintain that we have Inc rign
to organize and that right we will yih'
TO nobody. Every possible assistance
and cooperation within the law will b.
given to the Garments MO in thei
/, tight to maintain that principle. II |
, organized la bor that IL at stake. W
:. made no threat or statement. as III
, Mayor says. that there would be eve
disorder II a general strike was called
: We have not urged disorder. We hav
spoken against II and will continue to d
so. but we canno help Il, II friends O
, the union do things Of this kind"
! Asked as to what would be one at IN
session of the Continental conference to
clay. Mr.. Frayne would make nc proph
ecy. He pointed out. however. that Will
the Central Federated Union or simila
bodies had no authority to order a strike
when they recommended one II had bee
= invariably obeyed. He then went on {
: explain that while many Of the union
( had contracts not to stop work for
definite period. they would not be viola,
= ing those contracts II they refused t
ride to work on a c car carrying
policeman.
The wives. sisters and women friend
Of the strikers started yesterday to serv
as pickets along the surface lines. urgin
Z people not to ride on the cars. Lines c
pickets were established in several place
in The Bronx and on the East Side.
was said that several thousand were on
c yesterday and that 10000 women will &
e on duty to-day. Furthermore. the mex
Y step Is to start a union Of the wives G