New-York tribune., 1919-10-14
Tons Of Food Lie
At Express Depots
Coz. Smith Acts Again in
Effort to End Strike;
Hines Urges a Decision

Tons Of perishable food lay at the
New York depots of the American
Hallway Express Company yesterday.
undelivered because of the strike of
express teamsters and platform men.
The tie-up was complete at all stations
In spite of the embargo on shipments
to and from New York, effective early
yesterday afternoon, consignments were
still arriving in the city last night.
NO attempt was made to deliver them.
"These goods can only be delivered
if the consignees will call for them"
said Robert E. M. Cowe, vice-president
of the company.
Practically all the perishable food
consumed in New York, except milk.
is shipped to the city by express. This
constitutes about 60 per cent of the
citys total daily food supply, it was
| said.
"The perishabIe stuff held up con-
.sd slsts ,,y chiefly Of eggs, butter, fruit,
vegetables, poultry, oysters, Holsters
and sea food in general" Mr.. Cowie
said. 1--WE get shipments of fish from
as far away as Puget Sound.
w e will make every possible effort
to preserve perishable foods. If we
can't deliver them in few days, we'll
try to reconsign them to other cities,
so that they may not go to waste. If
we can't do that, they'll have to rot at
our stations"
All Eyes on Washington
Both sides Of the dispute looked to
Washington yesterday for a possible
settlement of the strike. Michael
Cashal. president Of the union, Local
645, of the International Brotherhood
OF Transfers, Chauffeurs and Helpers,
was at the capital awaiting a decision
on the mems demands by the Board
Of Wages and Working Conditions of
the United States Railroad Adminstra
ton. The board has been considering
the demands since last May, when the
union ended a strike at the request Of
the railroad administration.
The demands which the union make s
in behalf of $4,000 men employed
throughout the country are: An in
crease of $25 month, an eight hour
day, time and half for overtime,
double time on Sundays and holidays
and one week vacation every year. The
for chauffeurs, $50 to $120 for team
sters and overtime only after ten hours
Mr. Cowie telegraphed the following
embargo order to all express agents in
the United States:
Con account Of strike Of vehicle
and platform men in New York City
you will Immediately embargo all
business Of every name and nature
! for greater New York;
The embargo Went into effect imme-
diately, he said. but several days will
elapse before goods already en- route
to New York will stop coming in.
Smith Asks for Action
Governor Smith, who tried on Sum-
day to prevent the strike, yesterday
sent the following telegram to Walker
| D. Hines, Director Of the United States
Railroad Administration:
"With your letter and the aid of
loyal union officials have attempted
without success to avert strike on
the American Railway Express. Tie
up is complete. Men say they want
decision, not promises. Can decision
be made Immediately ?"
Union officials declared yesterday
that II 900 men had gone out. Mr.
Cowie said this number is an exagger-
alton.
The strike began to make itself felt
almost Immediately after midnight
sunday. AC the GTdnQ central leINl-
nal, the largest depot of the company
there was a complete tie-up within half
an hour. Although thirty or forty plat
form men who were not in sympathy
with the strike reported for work
there was nothing for them to do in tho
absence of teamstcrs.
At the two dcpots in Lexington Ave
nue., at Fortyfourth and Forty-sixtl
Streets, about 600 men went out, com
pletely ending service. At most depot
practically all the men who appearet
yesterday came as pickets, not workers
In Harlem and The Bronx 100 men
almost the entire force of the compau,
in these districts, struck at midnight
At the Pennsylvania Station no truck
moved yesterday.
In Brooklyn between five hundre.
and six hundred men went on strike a
o'clock yesterday morning, cripplin:
seven large terminals. Orderly picket
ing continued all day.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13.-Directo
, General Hines to-day asked the rail
4