The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-19

7 and conveying them TO the others. He
was reported 70 be Optimistic"
1t was evident that somebody had a
| great idea. Everybody was mum AZ to
what IL was. Mr.. ouackenbush, the In
terboroukh lawyer, conceded that the
plan under discussion was Mr.. Nixon's.
Frederick w. Linders. Intsrborough ac-
countant. was called into the debate.
Figures OF the Interboroush's earnings
and expenses, past, present and future,
were viewed UP and down and slantwise.
Dr.. Weber, statistician for the Public
Service Commission. contributed a batch
Of sprightiy figures to the symposium.
So far as reported. no one could make
anything out Of all this arithmetic except
that the 1nterborough. as the figures
stood, could not meet even a 10 per cent.
wage increase. II was estimated that
the cash balance on hand on September
30 would be only t5s1.0oo. Out Of this
would have to be honored vouchers for
100000, leaving $4,000 In the treas
ury. The Interborough proposed to sell
lSl.000,0O0 worth of Liberty bonds for
$4,000, the market rate. This added
to the $4,000 on hand, would yield
t1,071,000. F1ne--but there was q little
matter Of $1,000. 900 or 90 In taxes due
the city since May 1.
This made Il look bad for any wage
Increase at all to come out of the In
| pOCketr Out 1T. NlNOH eNl~
Gently had In mind facts which were not
publicly divulged. Representatives Of the
hclty In the conference gave little heed to
The Interbcrough's plea Of poverty. They
took the Hylan view that the INTERIOR
ough had dlssipated an t1S,0O0.00o sur
plus supposed to exise last year by loans
to the lettering Queens street Ger COM
pany and otherwise ana that sympathy
need not be wasted on the big transit
iccrporation. Tho Interborough men were
told that they couldn't expect to get an
cent fare or any other relief from the
city In the way Of alteration Of the
fundamental contract, and II the alter
native was receivership such let II be.
Nixon Finally Solves Problem.
But Commissioner Nixon continued to
press his solution Of the problem. The
labor men accepted Il FIRST, and then the
marlborough Spokesman. Edwin s.
Gleason, Mr.. Nixon's secretary. emerged
from one OF the closed rooms at Z 80
p. M. and said that n proposal had been
submitted to Strike Leader Connolly and
his associates, that they would take II to
the New Star Casino for confederation
by the brotherhood, that It was a COM
promise agreement In which both sides
had made concessions. and that because
of the display of conciliatory spirit by
| .
end Of the strike was hoped for.
Then Mr.. Connolly and his committee
hustled out Of the building and the sub
ways being unavailable for the moment
were taken uptown in the automobile Of
Alfred NJ. Barrett. Deputy Public Ser
vice Commissioner.
Gov. Smith left for the BIitmore. all
aglow with new found happiness. When
asked what the agreement amounted TO
he said that his dog Cesar was better
known In Albany than he was: In fact,
men get out Of BARRIERS chairs TO look
when Cesar walked the Streets. while II
the Governor passed by they kept on
getting shaved.
The Governor was In on the final con-
ference when the agreement was ac-
lcepted by Aiessrs Hedley and Connolly
and gave both sides homely talk which
helped to bring about the armlstice.
Between sessions Of the conference
Deputy Public Service Commissioner
Glennon began a public hearing on the
strike the purpose OF which, II developed,
was merely to get on the records the fact
hat there was a strike and that the lines
were tied up. George r. Daggstt, chief
Of the commissions transit bureau. testi-
fed that so far as he knew the company
had made no efforts TO employ men to
break the strike. It was also brought
out that the power house men had Joined
the rest Of the secessionists and that the
B. r T. subway and the green car sur
face lines were being operated only be-
cause the bosses and men at the plants
who are not members Of the brotherhood
were keeping some Of the >dynarios going
Taxpayers May Have to Pay.
How the marlborough would get the
money to pay the men the new rates
| under COrn mis- aiO0ar Niwnp'a ~
still a mystery late last night In view
of the fact that under the dual system
contracts and operating deficit are Gu
mulative and, In case tho lines earn q
surplus IN the future, must be deducted
from the surplus before the city can
share In the profits, the conclusion 10
irresistible that the burden will even
tually fall on the city, which means the
taxpayer.
Senator Foley's view last night was
that the strike had proved that the mat
ter of compulsory arbitration Of labor
disputes must be taken up by the Legis-
lature In It's next session. Gov. Smith,
who dined with his family and Senator
Foley at the Biltmore. told of scenes he
witnessed Yesterday and Of young
women being literally crushed" In buses
while trying to get to their homes He
said 1t was deplorable such disturbances
could happen when a solution could be
reached so easily by the simple method
of talking things over.
Before the settlement was reached
Alfred e. Marlins. president OF the
ChaInber OF Commerce OF the State Of
New York, and other business leaders
invited Strike Leader Connolly and his
committee to meet them this afternoon.
They said in their letter: The. COM
pany cannot give to-day for five cents
what It gave three years ago. The city
administration has no right to take
advantage OF this situation to drive the
company into bankruptcy or TO force
municipal ownership. The men are en-
I titled to such additional increase in
wages as will enable them to meet the
increased cost of living. but are not
entitled TO punish the public In order
to get II. In hitting the public the men
are injuring their best friends. The
public will pay the extra fare IL that
Is the Just way out"