The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-31
AUTHORITY OF WAR
BOARD CHALLENGED
Union and Third Avenue Rail-
way Companies Unrepre-
scented at Hearing.
CONTEND/PEACE Is HERE
Former Employees Say They
Were Discharged for At
tending Union Meetings.

The chairs on one side OF the counsel
table IN the aldermanic chamber in the
City Hall were unoccupied yesterday when
Charlton Ogburn. examiner in charge OF
the street railway department OF the Ma
tlonal War Labor Board. opened the
hearing on the complaints of certain
employees against the Union Railway
and the Third Avenue Railway compa-
MES.
The answer to tho chairman's inquiry
as to where counsel for the companies
were was contained in statements issued
by the companies and distributed before
the hearing began. They declared that
neither company recognized the juris-
diction of the National War Labor Board
in this OF any other case. nov that the
war is over" and that furthermore
there were no disputes between the COM
psnies and their employees to adjudicate,
anyway.
BIames Outside AEitators.
whatever attempt Mt controversy
there has been or may be-" II was de-
clered, was and il instigated by group
OF outside agitators who represent the
Annaglamated Association OF Street and
Electric Railway Employees OF Amer
ica."
This assertion was followed by a re-
view OF the relations that have existed
between the companies and the associa-
! ton, which. II was alleged, were char-
acterized by violations of contract on
ID fNs1
result that the companies decided to
| have no more dealings with It. In pur-
suance of this policy, II was admitted
the companies had discharged severaI
hundred Of their employees who had at
| tended union organization meetings IL
June and August
/ The charge that they had been dis
| charged for attending these meetings
vas the basis of the action OF the com
plainants in seeking RELIEF from the wal
| Labor Board. They also assert that inc
hours OF labor are too long and the wage
scale too low.
counsel OF the Street Railway Men,
Union. and Louis Fridiger. local counse
| of the union, represented the com
claimants, +. j. OBrien, internationa
| vice president of the American Federa
ton of Labor, and William Collins,
| federation organizer. were present also
Mr.. Valley. opening for the com
pIainants. asked that the men who have
been discharged be reinstated and re
imbursed by the companies for the tim'
they have lost.
Won't Quit SOS Job for s25 One
A score OF witnesses, including severa
who had been in the employ OF th'
! commands for more than twenty-five
years, were called by Mr.. Frtdiger
All testified they had been discharged
for attending union meetings. Some o
the men testified they were required e
work fifteen or seventeen hours da!
ir order 10 bring their wages allow
$40 a week.
Delpha Andrews Of St James, Lonl
Island. who was employed on the Thir'
Avenue line for twenty-six years befor
his discharge last August. was asked b!
Chairman Ogburn If he wished TO b.
reinstated.
Well. ! don't KNOW" said Andrews
II averaged S25 "A week before I wa
discharged, working ten hours daN
Now I am working in a shipyard ant
getting SIS a week"
A statement setting forth fully tn
reasons for the declination OF the rail
road to acknowledge the jurisdiction o
the board was fled with Chairman
Ogburn by President s. W. Hun ot tn
Third Avenue Company.