The sun., 1919-03-14
Union Demands Recognition
Which Railway Company
Vows to Refuse.
ARB1TERS FEAR FAILURE
Mobs Attack Crews and Block
Newark Lines. Causing
Street Battles.

Ing. The Public Service Railway COM
pany will offer to submit every ques-
ton to Federal arbitration. The strikers
will refuse to consider any parley or
offer OF mediation unless their union In
first recognized by the company. As the
company will refuse to do this IL vs. diff
cult to see how the end OF the strike win
be brought any nearer by to-day's coll
loquy.
Having considered the mediation offer
all yesterday afternoon with national
and local leaders OF the Amalgamated
Association OF Street and Electric Rail-
way Employees, known as the trolley
mems union William Wepner, presiden,
OF the New Jersey branch. and Harry
Jones' president OF the Paterson local.
said they would leave for Washington
at midnight. They said they would tell
the War Labor Board that the question
OF union recognition could not be arbi-
trated and that there could be no nego-
tiattons until the company first agreed
to sign union contract.
Company Prepares to Fight.
Thomas n. McCarter. president OF the
Public Service company, replied by say
ing that the company would fight until
its last dollar was gone, II necessary
before it would sign any agreement with
any but its own employees, although the
company is willing that the matter OF
by the Federal board. Mr.. McCarter
said that the company would advertise
to-day for conductors and motormen,
would consider all applicants except pro-
fessional strike breakers and would pay
the regular wage of Al, 80 or As cents an
hour and bonus OF IS day during the
emergency period. This offer is open to
strikers as well az outsiders.
Edmund Wakelee. vice-president of
the company, who will represent 1t be-
fore the War Labor Board, went to
Washington yesterday afternoon. John
L. OToole, assistant to the president,
put the company's contentious before the
Industrial Commission OF the Manufac-
turers Council of New Jersey, which had
offered mediation, at the Robert Treat
Hotel in Newark last night.
William II. Taft, chairman of the War
Labor Board agreed to have the board
hear beth sides IN Washington to-day
when Mr.. Wakelee talked to him wednes-
day night in Newark. where Mr.. Taft
was speaking at a Princeton alumni
. dinner. Mr.. Taft is familiar with the
trollcy controversy, as he presided at
hearings whereby the strike Of last June
was ended in a single day. Yesterday
Pres dent MCCarter received this tele-
gram from W. Jet Lauck, secretary of
the War Labor Board:
IF both parties to the controversy
National War Labor Board for decision
and work is Immediately resumed the
National War Labor Board will grant
hearing in the case Friday morning.
Strike Leader Notified.
Mr.. McCarter then notified the strike
leader, Mr. Wepner, and his counsel
Henry Carless, that the company wsuld
be represented at the hearing in Wash
ington and would remind the War
labor Board of its findings of July 81
last in the decision settling the trouble
then existing. One OF the conditions was
that the agreement then made would last
for the duration Of the war except that
either side could at SIX months intervals
ask for reconsideration. The company
will contend to-day that the employees
have broken this agreement and will
undoubtedly add that for this reason the
present situation demands summary
action by the War Labor Board.
The union leaders baked yesterday
the moment they heard that immediate
resumption of work was one of the con-
dtions upon which the hearing in Wash
ington would be granted. They had an
nounced that nobody could get them tc
run the cars again until the company
agreed to sign a contract with the union
and to this condition they swear they
will stick. Mr.. Wepner said propose
ment of differences by the War Labor
Board with recognition OF the union tc
be decided later. was unanimously re-
Jected by the. strikers Mt meeting yes
terday morning.
Newark experienced yesterday the first
OF series of acts of serious violence
which always increase in frequency as
q trolley strike grows older.
Trolley Crew stoned
About fifty strikers and their rough
md ready f'-ends. armed with switch
irons. came in motor trubk from the
direction of Montclair and lay in wait
for a trolley car behind an apartment
house in Grafton avenue. When a
Mount Prospect car reached Verona ave.
nue. the raiders rushed forth and yanked
n bakery wagon across the tracks IN
front Of IT, The crew tried to reverse
the car. but We're literally stoned
NIotorman Henry Cordially was fallad
with a rock white trying to adjust the
trJ'ley pole. Conductor Henry Burgess
trying to help the motorman, was badly
Iummelcd.
The mob then sailed into the extra
crew on the car. Motorman Breunine
and Conductor Holeman. Holcman
fought back and damned his way to a
drug store, where he called the police
BrueT'ng. it is truthfully narraL~d. beat
IT." A second car came along and lis
four men, refusing to get off, were
stoned. The windows of both cars were
smashed Twenty policemen got there
the company says, Just in time to see
the final stoning OF the second car
whereupon the attacking party boarded
their van and a touring car and sailed
off shouting.
THE police says the company's state
meut made no effort whatever to ar