New-York tribune., 1918-06-07
No Traffic in Passaic, Pater.
son, Plain6eld and Manv
Other Towns
War Plants Suffer;
U. S. to Intervene
Federal Conciliator Will
Seek a Compromise on
Wage Issue To-day

Russian revolt about $500 motormen
and conductors employed by the New
Jersey Public Service Corporation in.
stltuted strike yesterday that partial
ly or completely paralyzed trolley ser.
vice in the greater part of the stase
Only the southern section of the stats
was unaffected. In four counties-Es.
sex, Passaic, Union and Hudson
traffic was reduced to 25 per cent Of
normal, and the cities of Paterson.
Passaic, Plainfield, Perth Amboy, Eliza.
beth and New Brunswick were without
service of any sort.
At o'clock last night service was
entirely suspended throughout the area
affected by the strike. This was on
order Of President Thomas N. McCar-
ter, who, it was said, desired to give A
rest to the comparatively few men
who remained at work yesterday. 10
that limited service might be resumed
to-day, unless expected government in.
( tervention brought about truce pend
ing settlement by mutual agreement.
Thousands Forced to Walk
Tens Of thousands of workers were
deprived of transportation without
warning by the walk-out, and the stu
alton, as it affected urgent government
work in the 5hipyards and munition
plants in Newark and along the sea-
board, Immediately became so serious
the War and Labor departments at
Washington took steps to end the tie
up at once.
John J. S. Rodgers, a Federal con-
ciliator already in Newark in connec-
tion with another strike, was directed
to confer with the car men. The
strikers named a committee late yes-
/ terday-the same that made an agree
ment with the corporation, which the
! men repudiated, the night before-to
meet Mr.. Rodgers and Thomas l.. Ray.
mond, City Commissioner, of Newark,
/ this morning, and plans were laid to
procure a resumption of service to-
/ day, pending a settlement
The men struck for a fiat rate Of
45 cents an hour, with 60 cents for
overtime. The Public Service Corpora
tion had offered a sliding scale rang
< ing from 80 cents for beginners to Ss
cents after six months, and 40 cents
! for men in service five years. This
was the scale the committee named
by the men agreed to accept Wednes
day. 1t was rejected by the carmen
at tumultous meetings which continued
until 2 o'clock yesterday morning. the
hour at which it was definitely decided
to strike.
Strikers Lacked Leaders
The strike was apparently without
pre-arrangement or organization in ad
vance. In the afternoon 1000 of the
men paraded Market and Broad streets
in Newark. with William Wepner, =
former conductor, at their head
The strikers finally called in Henry
Carless, a Socialist lawyer of Newark
and formed the entirety independent
brotherhood of Railway and Railroad
Workers of New Jersey"
Wepner, who headed the committes
which had accepted the compromiss
committee which will meet Mr.. Rodgers
and Commissioner Raymond to-day. Be
said last night the men would AsIs
tight"
All day yesterday transportation to
war plants was limited almost entirely
to jitney buses and trucks.
The strikers obviously have the up.
per hand. The young men"-thoss
most recently employed-are in cor.
troll. 1t was they. according to cor
poration officials and to the strikes
themselves, who insisted on the pg
scale of AS cents an hour.
Ten Young Women on Runs
John O'Toole, assistant to Presidens
McCarter. admitted yesterday that, ow.
ing to the heavy drafts of war indus
tries upon labor. and the fact that ne
Public Service Corporation, which I.
ready has applied for the privilege q
increasing its rates, could not pay fna
wages offered elsewhere, it was lmpos..
sible to get men to take the places o.
the strikers.
Flfty-siX Young women, who nav,
been through the corporations school
for motormen and conductors, weff
only ten were on runs" Strikers ssk
several of them had promised to JOB
the union this morning.
The question of employing wonsa
Mr.. O'Toole said, was the primary Y
sue between the Public Service Ce'.
poration and the men. A prosss
against the employment of women o.
the cars was the first intimation cor
poration officials had of dissatisiss
ton among the platform men. ms
was two weeks ago.
Charges Breach of Faith
Mr.. McCarter issued q statement ysf
terday, saying the mems COMMITTEES y
serted it had authority to act sss
that when it accepted the corporatien:
offer of increased pay he understog
the matter was settled lie charse
that the subsequent strike withos
warning "was gross breach of faitn
The rejected scale, Mr.. MeCasis
added, meant an increase OF approx
mately. $6oO,00O q year. The newss
men were offered bonuses OF slo
the expiration of thirty days serslss
The cessation of car service ~
night was accompanied by ststepes.'
that all men who remained faithfm
the corporation yesterday would De
warded by the application immedisssS
of the Accent maximum which wcss
have gone into effect June 10 =
proffered scale had been accepted
the strikers.