New-York tribune., 1918-12-03
ReStaurateurS
Join Hotel Men
To Defy Walters
Employers Decline to Con.
fer With Union Leaders,
Who Threaten to Call
General Strike at Once

Hope of peace between the Interna-
tional Federation of Hotel Workers
and the Hotel Association and the So
clety Of Restaurateurs was dissipated
yesterday when the restaurant men de-
cllned to confer with the unions rep
resentatives and joined forces with the
hotel men in defying the walters to
call general strike Immediately.
The conference between the union
and the restaurateurs was arrangd
Thursday while the striking walters
and cooks from the nine hotels we're
paradlng as preliminary step to a
general walk-out III every hotel and
restaurant Iii the city When the pa
rade ended union leaders Informed the
marchers that the restaurant men had
practically agreed to their demands,
and that a conference would be held
simply to ratify the agreement.
When the hour for the conference
drew near yesterday, the secretary of
the Society of Restaurateurs notified
the union that no meeting would be
held, as the society had ioined the
Hotel Association in fighting the de-
mands of the men.
The hotel and restaurant men then
issued joint challenge to the walters
and cooks to call an immediate stike.
$50 that all hands might see what will
happen"
Locked Out, Say Employees
While union officials were consider
ing the sudden change in affairs. the
employees of Reisenweber's, Lorber's
and Luchow's restaurants appeared at
strike headquarters and announced
that they had been locked out. A
meeting of the men was held immedi-
ately and retaliatory strike declared
against the three places, effective at
9 o'clock last night.
THE union has been double crossed" "
Secretary Otto Wagner of the Fedora
tion said yesterday. "Now we know
that the promises of peace was simply
a trick to avoid a strike on Thanks
giving Day. But we are not discour-
aged. Sentiment among the men is
unanimous for finish fight, and we are
going through with it.
"In joining the hotel men | know that
the larger restaurant men have disre-
garded the wishes of the smaller con-
Germs, and l anticipate break in their
Chairman Regan of the Labor Com
mittee Of the Hotel Association said
yesterday that the opposition to the
walters was simply sef-protection
against the attempted dictation of
agitators among the walters
Says Hotels Have Won
The hotels so far affected by the
strike, he said, have won a complete
victory and are operating on a 100 per
cent basis. He estimated that the hotel
employment agency is receiving an
average OF 500 applications for Jobs
each day, and declared no trouble would
be experienced in filling the places of
union walters and cooks if a general
strike comes. New staffs were supplied
through the agency to fill the places of
union men at Reisenweber's, Luchow's
and Lorbers.
A mass meeting of the hotel workers
Is scheduled for this afternoon at the
Amsterdam Opera House in West
Fortyfourth Street, but it was said
last night that general strike in both
restaurants and hotels at this time is
unlikely.
Ten union pickets, parading in front
Of the Astor Hotel with signs urging
a boycott Of the hotel, were arrested
yesterday. They we're released on $500
bail each for examination tomorrow in
West Side Court