New-York tribune., 1919-08-07

stances, can only be afforded by the
presence on the cars OF policemen.
Unless, therefore, you can arrange
tor such protection before nightfall, l
shall be obliged to suspend operation.
You will, am sure, appreciate nv
necessity of promptly hearing from
you"
The letter bore the signature of Mr..
Garrison. 1t reached the Mayors office.
according to the best information avail
able-slnce Mayor Hylan refused to be
seen by reporters-at about 4:3O
o'clock
Its immediate result was a confer
ence between the Mayor. Police Com
missioner Enright and Transit Com
missioner John Delaney 1t is said
both of the experts advised the Mayor
that protection of the public would re-
qure the placing of policemen on all
Of the cars.
Decision at 6:3O P. NJ.
At $50 o'clock the conference was
concluded with the announced decision
to police the cars. The letter sent bv
the Mayor to the B. r. 7. receiver. how
ever, indicated that the earlier ultima
tum of that official had had nothing to
do with the final decision to place uni
formed policemen upon all Of the cars
that were operated in the strike bound
district.
The Mayors letter to Mr.. Garrison
follows:
Il received from you at 4 o'clock
to-day letter requesting that a police
officer be stationed on every car that
YOU are prepared to operate on the
lines of your company and notifying
me that unless such protection was
granted you would be compelled
to discontinue service by nightfall.
This communication followed one re
ceived short time before, in which
you requested protection.
hen | received your first letter
Immediately conferred with the Police
Commissioner, and he informed me
that he had already taken care of the
situation.
'On receipt of your second letter l
called you on the telephone and you
advised me that 1900 men would be
required for the purpose of placing a
policeman on each car. | have di-
rected the Commissioner that the pro-
lection that you last requested be i'm
mediately furnished The Police Com
missioner has instructed Chief In
spector DAILY to Immediately confer
with YOU and provide the men re-
quircd
No Disorder, Police Say
ut was brought to my attention
yesterday afternoon that there was
liable to be strike on the transit
lines in Brooklyn. | conferred with
the Police Commissioner and he in
formed me that he had already made
preparations to take care of the situ-
alton. and that the travelling public
would be protected against any
violence The Police Commissioner
reports to me that there has been no
disorder to-day and the situation has
been we'll in hand at all times
THE newspapers this morning re-
ported that you declined to meet a
committee of your employees and the
present situation is a result of such
refusal. May | suggest to you that it
would be better to take a more con-
ciliatory attitude and meet a commit
tee, and see if the points in contro-
versy could not be settled by arbtra-
tion in the interest of the general
publc?"
Meanwhile, telephone orders had
been sent to Police Headquarters mob
ilizing the reserves in readiness for
such a move as the one now required
by the decision to place policemen on
the cars. Within half an hour after
the conclusion of this conference
Brooklyn's normal quota Of 2,666 po-
lice was increased by i 900 Manhattac
and Bronx policemen, who we're sent
over TO the B. r. T. territory for strike
duty.
1900 Policemen on Cars
Thirteen hundred men were as
signed TO ride surface cars. Three
hundred more were sent to the various
elevated and subway stations, to be
apportioned according to the size and
Importance of stations and the posi-
blities of trouble But the men who
were to have been placed on surface
lines did not find much opportunity to
ride since but half the company's cars
were in readiness to go out.
Mr. Garrison had said earlier in the
day that most of his men were ready
to operate their cars if assured pro-
lection. They could not be found early
in the evening, with the result that
only about half of the company's cars
were operating at that time.
When the police took charge of the
situation at about T o'clock in the
evening they found no cars were being
/ operated on these lines: Hamilton
Avenue, Franklin Avenue, Gates Ave
nue. and Third Avenue. They had been
completely tied up since 2 o'clock in
the afternoon.
On these lines automobiles. trucks
and even horse drawn vehicles took
over the business of the streetcar
I companies at such rates as pleased
the owners of the vehicles.
State Starts Investigation
Public Service Commissioner Nixon
started an investigation of the strike
/ situation in the meanwhile by order
ing hearing to be held to-day for the
purpose of ascertairing the causes of
the "inadequacy of service" IN Brook
| lyn. 1t is expected the hearing will
cover the entire strike situation.
| The Commissioner took steps to pre-