The sun., 1919-08-06

Of the Anaieamated Association Of
street and Electric Railway Employees
Of America, and, I am informed, wal
attended by less than 1000 Of the $4,000
employees OF the system, and that only
a Dmali minority OF the employees arr
members of the association.
Your association IL fully informed Of
my attitude in respect OF recognising 1t
AZ you are aware this matter was raised
lie at March, and then took the position
which 1 now maintain. that 1 will moi
deal with outside organizations such al
your association. / am always WILLING
to deal with the employees OF the system
In respect Of any matter Affecting them
but will not deal with outside organi
nations.
"Your frank statement that the sec.
ond article OF your demand, namely. the
recognition of the union. Is your princi-
pal demand. ride the situation of any
confusion, and as that Is the main issue
Il 10 useful TO take up In detail the
other matters adverted TO In your COM
munication.
Briefly referring to them--I know Of
no instance where any employee has
been discharged for union activities.
Will not countenance discharge for that
reason. II what you mean is that must
not discharge men who commit offences
II they happen also to be members OF
tho union, certainly cannot accede 10
this
I'm respect of the matter of wages
and Of decreased hours Of labor, which
Is merely another form OF increasing
wages. II Is the fact that recent in
creases have been made In all depart
ments and our men and women are be-
ing paid the highest wages ever paid In
Greater New York to street railway en-
ployeea There have been no substan-
tial advances in the cost Of living since
the increases In wages. and no legitimate
basis therefore would seem to exist for
any renewed demands in this respect.
In addition thereto the financial situa-
tion OF the system is such that II has
not the money under existing conditions
to pay Increases.
Many TO Lose Jobs.
1T cannot believe that the employees
OF the system will lend themselves to
this attempt of an outside organization
tn intrude itself into their affairs. Any
of them who do 30 are certainly not act
ing in their own interests, as It will only
result in their losing their present posi-
tons
lnoSe VINO traVel on the system ana
the public In general, convinced as they
must be that under present conditions
we are doing all that Is possible. will
not look with favor upon the great loss
they will suffer IL the issue Of recognize
ing your association Is forced at this
time and strike results with all OF Its
attendant losses.
Those who have the interests of our
employees sincerely at heart will realize
that this is not the way to go about
helping them. We stand ready to do
whatever It is possible for us to do for
our employees For reasons which are too
obvious to require restatement we can
not surrender the rights thus to deal
with our employees to an outside organi-
zation.
IF your organization proposes to
force the issue of union recognition we
can do nothing more than 1 have done
namely. candidly state our position and
trust that good sense and good Judge
ment will avert the general loss and
trouble which otherwise will ensue
Sincerely yours,
"LINDLEY M. GARRISON, Receiver"
MT. Garrison, who cut short his vaca-
ton to come to the city to answer the
union. will remain here in charge of the
situation. He is confident of his ability
TO win out In the present trouble, as
are other men associated with the man.
agenent OF the affairs OF the line.
Although Mr. Dempsey, vice-presi-
dent of the company. resigned his post
yesterday after eighteen years of ser
vice with the company. II was said at