The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-19
MAYOR CALLS ARMY
TO WRITE STRIKERS
Mobilizes Battalions Of City
Employees at His Office
by Rush Order.
ovERRUN THE PLACE
Then Field Marshal Changes
His Mind and Only 1000 En-
velopes Are Addressed.
OvERRUN THE PLACE

F1eld Marshal Hylan mopu1en NE
army yesterday afternoon in the nrst
move Of n scheme he had worked out
to get in personal touch with every
one Of the 1900 employees Of the
Intsrboroush Rapid Transit Company
and settle the strike.
Following q letter delivered ct the
City Hall and signed employees of
the I. r. +. Co.," In which they i'm
plored the Mayor to get us out Of this
mess that makes us look WRONG in the
eyes of the public" he conceived the
idea Of writing letter to each employee
asking all to meet him In Madison
Square Garden or some large hall to
talk the situation over.
- While the mobilised city employees
were engaged in addressing envelopes
to the Interborough employees news was
received at the City Hall that the strike
had been settled at a conference be-
tween Gov. Smith and Public Service
Commissioner Nixon on one side and
the officials Of the Intsrborough and
representatives OF the employees on the
other. The employees are expected to
report for duty at $3.50 o'clock this
morning.
1t was $3.50 In the Afternoon when
of the various city departments. Later
It was stated that only 400 clerks had
been called for. but the generals must
have misunderstood the field mar
shall. for they directed that ell the en-
ployees who could do 80 should report
at the City Hail at once.
Arrival Of the Army.
BY ( o'clock the forces were marching
into the Hall in ragged order by all the
entrances. They deployed throughout
the building. hlling up the Board of
Estimate chamber, the rooms Of the
Board Of Aldermen, the committee rooms
and overlooking into the corridors ana
the portioos. The sudden advance took
the custodians by surprise, but they
were told It was by the Mayors order.
No one seemed to be in charge Of the
forces and there was much grumbling on
the part Of the individuals, men and
women. They heard they had been
summoned to address envelopes. but
there seemed to be no ono to direct
them. Some missed their customary
trains, and others who had hoped to get
an early start for their homes on ac-
count of tho strike were Allied with
wrath.
Among those In the army were three
deputy assistants from the Corporation
Counsers ONCE, Owen Easan. the IA.
nous explosives expert and clerks and
typewriters by the hundred. II was UNI
o.ficially reported that each person
would have to address ffteen envelopes
before he or she could 20 home, but
there were no envelopes to address.
When about 1900 had gathered Presi-
dent Moran Of the Board OF Aldermen
hA Mava
was sending a letter to the $4,000 en-
ployees Of the Interborough and had
asked them TO assist In getting It Into
the mails quickly. However, as there
were desks for not more than f7b to
write at once, he asked for that number
OF volunteers. The others were permitted
to 60 Before they were dismissed Al
o'clock only 1000 envelopes had beer
addressed. AS II was not known
| whether the Mayor would decide finally
to send his appeal or not, the workers
were ordered 20 be back this morning
Asked to Send Grievances.
The letter which the Mayor had com.
posed to the employees 10 understood t.
be that 1t 10 q touching appeal to thor
TO listen to q personal word on arbi.
tration from him In Madison SQuar,
| Garden or some other large hall. Also
| n stamped and addressed envelope wat
e. Le enclosed with a request that they
tell him what their grievances were
He begged them to submit to arbitration
The task of getting the list OF en-
ployees from the marlborough was en-
trusted to Corporation Counsel Burr. He
had considerable trouble In inducing the
| company to part with II. but finally re-
nAirad n with adnFAaQAl about X
o'clock In the afternoon.
The anonymous letter. which started
the Mayor on his undertaking, said In
part:
After reading your letter this morn
ing we ind yeu are an all American
Mayor and true to the workingrnan
and that you are willing TO do all IN
your power 10 save us marlborough
men from the clutches of the octopus
tho lnterborough Rapid Transit Com
pany.
I'VE all understand the reason of
this strike and that the leaders Of our
brotherhood are working for the COM
pany officials and double crossing their
brother members-that we are In danger
so TO speak.
II am quite sure that so per cent. or
more OF our fellow workers will gladly
meet you and have you speak to us In
order to get us out of this mess that
makes us look wrong In the eyes OF the
public. We must say. Mr.. Mayor. that
We men are not to blame for this strike -
In a communication sent to General
Manager Hedley asking for the list OF
employees the Corporation Counsel said
that the city. which had invested more
than $500. 100000 in the rapid transit
system to procure cent fare. wished
to communicate with each individual
striker with a view to arranging arbitra
ton of the demands of the strikers In the
interest Of the latter and the people of
the city.