Norwich bulletin., 1919-07-21

! An attempt te bring the Shore Lin' trolley officials and their striking employes to agree to some form of ar ar bitration of their present wage dim I culties will be made this (Monday morning at 10 o'clock at a meeting t be held here at the Wauregan house Those to attend the meetings are rep. | resentatives of both sides of the con troversy and a mediation committe' Of three members appointed after ths Saturday afterneen meeting held hert l ;I the town hall by business men rep resenting numerous points in the ter ritory served by the Shore Line trol- i lcys.
 The mediation committee consist. 1 of Theodore Bodenwein, publisher o1 | the New London Day, Dr. J. J. Done- : hue of this city. compensation com missioner for this district. and Arthul M. Brown of Jewett City and Norwich I a prominent attorney. The last named was put on the committee after it had ! been found that Rellin U. Tyler e1 l Middletown, whose name had beer suggested. could not be reached Sat- urday night in order to ge his assent 1 to appointment.
 Three hours and half of discussion 1 of the trolley situation Saturday af- ternoon, with Alton T. Miner of New London. president of the Connecticut Chame Der of Commerce, presiding over the gathering of about 30 business men, reached the result of empower ing President Miner to name the me- diation committee. This was on mo- tion of former Attorney General w. A King of Willirnantic.
 When this point had been reached and the meeting was about to adjourn, President Frank J, King of the NoF- wich Chamber of Commerce turned to Shore Line road with the inquiry whether we couldn't get the cars run ming again Saturday night. now that mediation was undertaken.
 "a fN hn oa and pay the same rate of wages as before'' MT. Perkins responded.
 How about the men; will they re- turn to work? ?'' asked Mir. King of P. J. Rooney of Worcester, representa- tive of the international officers of the trolleymen, who had been the sPokes- man for the employees in the meeting.
 We have no answer to that. sir. MT. Rooney replied. adding a moment later that until the form of arbitration is reached he could not say the cars would run.
 President Miner Opens Meeting.
 In opening the meeting at o'clock President Miner said that he had felt it proper to offer the services of the Connecticut Chamber of Commerce in a matter affecting the public so vitally as the present trolley strike. He hoped that by consultation it might be possi- ble to arrive at some plan that would present a way. out of the difficulty and the state chamber very willingly of fered itself as the medium for discuss sion of a subject that was affecting so large a section and so many people.
 For months before this present sit- uation had arisen. Mr. Miner reminded his hearers, the state chamber had and at it's annual meeting the presi- dent had been authorized to appoint a committee which went into the matter very carefully concerning trelleys all -A1k> Ty. Ha leo spoken of the gravity of the situation and a commission had been appointed, but legisla tion that had been suggest ed had not been passed. This seemed to show that the general public is not conversant with the financial eondi- ton of the trolleys. and if the present meeting could do something to get this thought into the minds of the people and see that something is done in view of the present situation. this meeting will have accomplished some thing.
 C. c. Eiweii Speaks.
 After few words from George s. Chandler, executive secretary of the dent Miner called upo' c. C. Eiwell of the public utilities cou,n >;'1. who was present. though not ia aa official capacity, but merely to kee!, in touch with the situation, he said. He said he had written to the mayors, offering ll;s services as far as he could. It seems to be well understood that not enough money is being taken in by the trolley companies to meet eperat- i, expenses and fixed charges. MT. ElweIi said he had just returned from trip in the west and he had found much the same conditions there If this were confined only to the Shore Line, it might be possible to know what to do. but the condition is far reaching and broadcast
 President Miner asked for more re- marks after stating that he felt rem ediaI lesisiation was evidently needed and we wanted to do something to start the wheels going immediately, until some remedy for the future can be adopted.
 Senator Fox Speaks.
 Senator William C. Fox of New Lon don. who was one of the legislative reviewed what the legislature did. or rather didn't do. to give the trolleys any immediate help. except in the way of holding certain legal charges that in the southern part of the state there was a strong sentiment for he jitneys and against the rolleys- lie believed the Norwich and New London sections of the Shore Line were the only parts that were paying operating expenses and he thought the trolley men were entitled to a raise rom 42 1-2 cents an hour because boys in the Sn1pV VarQS were SO1IIS III at o1 cents an hour
 Mayor Desmond's Views.
 Mayor J. J. Desmond said he was convinced that the condition which the trolley officials say exists Is actual and that no deception has been prac- ticed or attempted. Anyone will con- cede also that the employees do not get adequate compensation. The trolleyS, which are necessities of modern life. will be supplied only so long as there is a profit in it. the mayor said. for you cannot expect capital to be at tracted when there is no profit. He expressed his fear that the operation Of trolley lines had become so expen- sive that it had come to be a case Of the survival of the Attest between the trolley and the jitney. He thought the state ought to proceed with con- siderable caution in adopting a child that may have lived its full span or life.
 overespansien the Trouble Says Nor
 gan.