New-York tribune., 1918-08-07
Men Were Ready to Go Out
To-day When Federal
Body Interfered
Tie-Up Threatened
Company's Opposition to
Unions Said To Be Cause
of the Trouble

An eleventh. hour intervention of
the War Labor Board, bringing with
it an offer of mediation, prevented a
strike yesterday of motormen and
switchmen which, according to esti-
mates of labor men in this city, would
have been sufficient to have tied up
the entire subway and elevated sys-
TENS of the b. R. T.
The strike was scheduled to become
operative to-day As it is, although
the immediate crisis is met and the
men will take no action until a de-
cision comes from Washington, the
situation is still charged with posi-
bilities.
"Only our sense of patriotism and
our reluctance to cause any serious
traffic tie-up at this time" l.. G..
Grltting, assistant grand chief eng-
neer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, said yesterday, "has in
duced us to pursue the patient course
we have in this matter Throughout,
though, we have been extremely un-
willing to do anything that would un-
necessarily discommode the public. 1t
was, as a matter of fact, as result
of our appeal to the Department of
Labor-taken with this thought in
mind-that the present mediation
offer has come about. That the de-
cision of the War Labor Board will be
in our favor we have not the slightest
doubt"
MIR. Griffing, who came on from the
South specially to handle the mems
interests in this controversy. emphas-
lied the point that no question either
OF wages or hours is involved. The
dispute is concerned solely with the
mems right to organize and hold mem
bership in the union, he said.
Against Men Organizing
That the B. r. 7. has steadily set
its face against the unionization Of its
employees is generally recognized, and
no disposition toward reversal of
this attitude WAS apparent yesterday
A direct request from Mayor Hylan
to Colonel T. S. Williams, president Of
the B. R. T.. that he confer with a
committee of the men met with the re-
sponse that Colonel Williams would
first have to talk the matter over with
j. J. Dempsey, vice president of the
road in charge of operation.
He assured the Mayor that he would
call up the City Hall jusy as soon as he
got in touch with Mr. Dempsey. At
4:l5 Colonel Williams closed his desk
and went home without having sent
any further word to Mr.. Hylan. Mean
while Mr.. Dempsey was out on tour
of the road. making arrangements to
cope with the strike which, at that
TINA ho1ioyad would na Iaclo
to-day.
The manner Of the War Labor
Boards Intervention, when il did come
at $3.50 yesterday afternoon, was
dramatic Had it been half an hour
later it would not have been in time to
prevent the impending tic-up.
Final Letter Sent
A group of the local Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers was gathered at
the temporary headquarters the men
have taken up at the Herald Square
Hotel. Earlier in the day following a
weeks frutless efforts, they say, to see
MIR. Dempsey and present their de
mands-a final letter demanding that
committee representing them be seen
was dispatched to the B. r. T. vice
president. In this letter it was stated
that if an answer was not forthcoming
by noon "such action will be taken by
your employees as in their opinion will
be to their best interest"
When 2 o'clock came, and no response
had been received either from the IS.
r. T. or the City Hall, the men decided
to grant two hours more lceway AT
it was decided definitely that the call to
strike should be issued.
For more than fortnight, Mr.. Grif-
fnp added this trO,,L1o l,o,
the breaking point. In the old davs,
when there were steam engines on the
b. X. I. elevated, he said, in explaining
the situation, the men were ORGANIZED
by the brotherhood Of Locomotive En-
gineers. With the advent of the cleo
trio engines, he declared, the company
took an uncompromising stand against
any union recognition. The two locals
that have remained, No. 4l9 and No.
86S, have, he stated, practically had to
exist as secret organizations.
Resentment by Men
With the recognition being accorde d
by the government to unions, this
caused serious resentment among the
men. demand that the road rein
state the mon turned off for their as
sociation with the brotherhood was,
Mr. Griffing says, turned down curtly
by Mr.. Dempsey
1t was in this situation, Mr. Griffing
explains, that the committee still de-
sirous at all hazards to avoid strike
called the attention Of the Depart
ment of Labor to the case. The De-
partment of Labor assigned Benjamin
NJ. Squrcs. Commissioner of the Con
ciliation Bord, TO investigate. The B,
r. T. is said to have told him there
WAS nothing to arhltrate
Meanwhile, through their secret bal
lot, the men were piling up the demand
for strike, so that Mr. Griffing again
telcgraphed the Department of Labor
this time requesting that the matter
be referred directly to the National
War Labor Board