The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-13
B. R. T. STRIKE LOOKS
TO Be ALMOST SURE
Executive Committee of Work
ers s'Rests Case" After Detail
ing Mems Grievances.
TAKE VOTES TOMORROW
Dempsey Refuses to Meet Del
egation-Accusati6ns
Against Garrison.

A statement which readers considered
tantamount to a declaration In favor or
a strike was given out at the Conti-
mental Hotel late last night by the execu-
tive committee of employees OF the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, who
are members Of the Amalgamated Assoc
citation of Street and Electric Railway
Employees OF America. The meeting, II
had been announced, was the last the
executive committee will hold before II
reports tomorrow night at the mass
meeting Of b. r. T. employees In Arcadia
Hall. Halsey street and Broadway,
Brooklyn.
As a result OF last nights meeting It
is looked upon as beyond doubt that the
executive committee will not mako any
other report than one favoring strike.
The statement said fatty that every one
of its efforts having failed, the six
teen members OF the committee rest
our case"
Just before the statement was issued
. committee representing the TOO signal
men employed by the b. r. T. who are
affiliated with the Brotherhood of Rail-
way Sgnalmen. which also is linked up
with the American Federation of Labor.
reported to the executive committee that
Vice-President j. J. Dempsey of the b.
r. T. had refused to treat with them on
the matter of demands for increased
wages and improved working conditions
Call for Meeting Issued.
The signalmen informed the executive
committee members that they had Issued
a call for a mass meeting of their fellow
workers and that this meeting will be
held tomorrow night in Triangle Hall.
Just around the corner from Arcadia
Hall, where the other B. r. T. union
workers will be taking strike vote at
the same time.
The statement OF the executive COM
mittee followed meeting behind closed
doors that lasted for several hours. In
a sense 1t was said by the sixteen COM
mittee men to be an appeal to the peo-
pie of Brooklyn" They made no bones
about stating that it might readily be
considered the unions last appeal
1t was given out by Richard Collins,
one OF the committeeman. and reviewed
the whole controversy between the men
and the company. The kick in the
statement, however, was reserved Tor the
last paragraph. which said:
"All efforts having failed to secure a
hearing of our demands by Receiver
Garrison and city, State and national in
tercession having been refused upon the
ground that there is nothing to arbi-
trate, we rest our case.
To this was signed the names of all OF
the sixteen members Of the executive
committee.
The statement began by saying that
Receiver Garrison's statements as given
TO the newspapers to present the COM
pany's side Of the controversy were
Misrepresentation of fact 1t said
that since last June the men had been
endeavorlng to effect an organization.
All efforts by the men to do so. the
statement said. had been thwarted by
the company until the Amalgamated As
ISOLATION interviewed. Mr.. Garr!son's
published statement that the two men
who handed the letter to Mayor Hylar
requesting him to intervene In the en-
ployees' behalf were not employees, the
statement said, was not correct, since
tho appeal was signed by sixteen men
who at present are employees Of the
b. r. T., while the men Of whom Mr..
Garrison spoke had been discharged as
soon as the company discovered they
were active In aiding the formation OF
the union.
although the company is in the
hands OF a receiver and Is short OF
money" the statement said. they had
money to employ detectives, thugs spies
and hirelings TO surround the houses OF
these two men and dog them. their
wives and their children everywhere
they went, They are still doing it"
The statement said also that officers
OF the old r. r. T. regime had used
their influence to mislead Receiver Gar
rison, and urged that as a representa-
tive OF Federal court he should give
the men an opportunity to be heard,
None of the members OF the executiv,
committee would comment or their con
templated action, beyond what was con
tanned in the statement. The repor
they will make, however, will be tn,
only business before the gathering to
morrow, and among the employees /
seemed to be generally understood tina
the strike vote would be ordered as sooI
as the committee report was submitted.
According to last nights understand
ing the men will cast their strike vote
as they complete their runs Tomorrow
night. All Monday night runs will HI
completed. but the understanding is tn
men will be ordered not to begin worl
Tuesday morning.
Union Recognition Is Issue.
The union leaders made plain las
night their understanding that the who'll
L. To-, -