The sun., 1919-06-26
PRODUCE MEN WILL
TRY TO MOVE FOOD
striking Truckmen Refuse Ar
bitration and Insist Upon
Every Demand.
MORE POLICE DETAILED
Merchants Hope to Convey
Contents Of 1900 Cars Now
at Railway Terminals.

rce strike that has threatened to cut
Of the supply to this and nearby cities
viii begin at 9 o'clock this morning when
ina produce merchants will make an at
,,mpt TO move their products from the
1900 railroad cars tied up in New York
and New Jersey yards Any Interior
,,cs that may be offered by the 1000
s.rIking drivers and porters will be met
nv the police. There Is on hand a suf-
ncient supply for three days. the mer-
chants said
All efforts for arbitration failed yes
,,rday when the strikers refused to
H ,rsat with their former employers upon
II ether terms than a full concession to
,selr every demand Of increased wages
and fewer hours. They asserted that
m many cases they were compelled to
rork for twenty continuous hours, and
s,ldom less than sixteen hours a day.
After these demands were reiterated the
merchants decided to break the strike.
/, J. Lippmann. chairman OF the mer-
chants committee. said. The Market
Truckmens Association. he said. had
psdsed to cart the goods and TO supply
he help for this purpose.
conferences WCto hCiu WIN 1.AeSg VI
VIVIAN and a committee of the Mer-
chants Association during the afternoon !:
others were arranged for with the po-
lice as to the method to be used in
maintaining order II violence should be
offered. The districts In which the prod
pce men are located are heavily
guarded, and this guard will be re-
enforced. It may be that the trucks and
carts hauling the goods from the rail-
road slips will be accompanied by a
policeman on the seat with the driver.
Mounted men, where the necessity arises
or It Is deemed best will convoy the
trucks.
Strikers Remain Firm.
The strikers attitude yesterday was
one Of order and quiet. They believe by
rr.mly holding to their demands the
merchants will be forced to accede to
their demands. Several hundred gath
cred In their headquarters at Chambers
and West streets and again in the af-
tsrnoon expressed their determination
not to yield. The composite opinion
held BY them is that their demands are
just and reasonable and easily can be
met without any appreciable loss In
profits
Aside from the financial side Of the
demands they injected the human ele-
ment with pleas not 80 much for them
selves but for their families. As con-
ditions were. they said. they got prac-
tcaly no time of their own to spend at
home or In recreation. And-because Of
these factors and the necessity OF more
money 90 meet the increased cost OF
living these men said they would not
accede one point to the merchants.
No attempt at intimidation was re-
ported By the police up to the time some
Of the houses not already closed closed
their doors at 6 o'clock, However. some
Of the merchants complained OF retailers
being aocosted and asked not to buy
Of the produce men.
There was little trade in the mar
kets, most OF the houses remaining con-
tent TO await the outcome OF the con-
terences that failed. Mediators for both
the State and the Federal governments
who have been working to bring about a
settlement before accommodating products
perish admitted that their efforts had
been unavailing.
Loss So Far IL Not Great.
II the efforts of the produce men are
successful In moving the shipments
and they are confident they will be
there is no cause for alarm for the local
market going short on any Of the food
sturfs, Mr.. Lippmann said. Much of the
produce will be saved. the merchants
said. Most of 1t Is contained In re-
trigerator cars. A tour of the piers and
warehouses by Board OF Health inspeo-
tors showed that an immediate removal
Of vegetables such as new potatoes. Der
r!es received In the green shipping state
Ard Nthar frthta will than n
harmed.
The merchants asserted that only q
small loss. comparatively speaking, con-
Hdering the enormous amount Of food
stufts held up. has been suffered from
deterioration. This loss. they said, IL
not theirs, but the farmers or the ship.
pers because the produce men operate
solely upon a commission basis. The
strikers maintain that the produce mer
are suffering the loss because they dc
buy the foodstuffs outright
In support Of their contention the mer-
chants telegraphed to the Governors OF
North Carolina. California, Delaware
Florida, Virginia and Maryland to wire
to Gov. Smith and urge that he use his
influence 10 ameliorate conditions, and
Il possible, to settle the strike. After all
the merchants argue. II Is the farmers OF
those States who suffer most from Its
Effects. Neil Strome. representing the
New York Federation of Agriculture
with T p. Wallace Of the Fruit and Prod.
ice Trades Association and NJ. c. Muir
ply OF the Market Truckmen's Associa
ton. forming a committee OF relief. called
upon Mayor Hylan to make the sans
representations regarding the New Yorl
State farmers who ship to this market
and also 10 ask for police protection In
moving the produce to the commission
houses.
fenneIly Commands Police.
Following the conference with tn
Mayor 1t was announced at Police Head
quarters that Inspector Fennelly hal
been placed In command OF the police
with full authority to act as he seel
nj to control the situation. II Resistance
Is offered to the efforts Of the commits
son men to move the produce THU
morning.
For the time being the produce storei
viii open at 6 o'clock and remain oper
until o'clock in the afternoon. length
enlng the hours as II becomes necessar,
as local wholesale and retail trade Il
resumed normally.
The slight movement OF produce yes
uerday under police convoy proceeded
peaceably. Army trucks. carrying ad
oNlonal guards. were not molested II
any way The strikers said no resist
tace would be made TO the movemen
OF fruits and garden produce to hos
pitaIs, charitable institutions and tn
IKE. provided the drivers could SHOW
satisfactory credentials that the good
would be delivered to these places ant
not elsewhere. Hotels and restaurant
we're supplied under police escort.
Ofhcals Of the strikers signifed thei
Willingness to help the Board OF Health
remove decayed fruits and vegetables