New-York tribune., 1919-08-13
p. ]. Shea, of Amalgamated
Union, Says Railways
of Manhattan Conspire
With the Brotherhood
Organizing Is Continued
Wages of Conductors and
Motormen ON One Line
in Long Island Raised

Patrick J. Shea, of the Anal lgamated
.ssociation OF Street and Electric Rail-
raw Employees, said yesterday that In
.srborough officials were conspiring
NTH their employees to bring about
s,r;ke conditions on the traction lines
Of New York.
statements made by Mr.. Shea at the
union headquarters in the Hotel Con-
,inental were in support of the
.sarges made by Mayor Hylan the day
.efore, to The effect that Interborough
md New York Railways officials had
entered criminal conspiracy" with
members of their employees brother
hood to win an increased car fare
through a strike. The Mayor asked
District Attorney Swami to present the
subject to the Grand Jury.
The manner in which the traction
officials sent appeals for assurances
Of police protection in strike that
was only a remote possibility showed
that they were trying to force things
10 head, Mr.. Shea said. He said
further that the Brotherhood of New
York Railways Company Employees was
working hand in hand with the Of
acials to anticipate strike situation.
Amalgamated Not Involved
"I want it known that the Amalga-
mated Association has nothing to do
with the lnterborough brotherhoods,"
Mr. Shea said. I'VE are organizing quiet
" among the carmen and don't expect
trouble unless the brotherho oods,
through their leaders, try to block us
and oppose organization among the en-
ployes. I think it is only a few Of
hcials Of the brotherhood who would
help the company officers in such
plan. Most Of the men are in our
association and favor our way of do
ing business"
Amaleamated officers continued their
conferences at the union headquarters
Yesterday. James H. Vahey, general
counsel for the union, was present.
was moving along fast in Manhattan,
but that so far only informal meetings
had been held with representative In
terborough employees. There is no
mass meeting planned for the next few
days. Mr.. Fridiger said.
Fair Raise Not Considered
Public Service Commissioner Nixon
said his staff was busy checking the
list of Ama'gamated members which
Inc union submitted in proof that it
vas more than so per cent organized
among the 3. Z. 7. employees. The Com
missioner said about the increased fare
question: NO determination as to pos
sole increase of fares or the amount
Of such increase has been made, and
no statement has been authorized by
me-"
Receiver Lindley NJ Garrison of the
R R. I. left yesterday for New Hamp-
shire to resume his vacation, cut
short by last weeks strike. Frederick
7. Royce, general manager of the B.
R. T., has been designated to act for
the receiver in his absence. Mr.. Royce
said Yesterday that nothing definite
had developed in the arrangements for
conference between the new Amalga-
mated employers committee and the
company officials.
The bulletin service of the company
reported that sportation was again
normal on all lines and that all men
who took part in the strike and who
reported for duty since the strike was
called off have been put to work and
no discrimination shown.
Long Island Men Raised
Strike developments in the Queens
boro and Long Island sections Jagged
yesterday. Reports that employees of
.'N" u - ~ Lung lS4dl4u loSllOii
company had sent an ultimatum to the
oitlclals demanding increased pay and
union recognition to b. acknowledged
tnis morning at the very latest were
discussed by John NJ. Stoddard, super
lntendent of the company. He said
the 1lO conductors and motormen of
the lines had merely asked for more
money and they got it. "The en-
ployes have no organized union" Mr..
sstoddard said. They have been get
ting S7's cents to As cents an hour
and they have been granted increases
IN pay equal with the New York car
men They now receive from Al to
~ cents an hour. They did not threat
en- TO strike"
On Friday letter was made public
purportlng to have been sent to Will
inam o. Wood. president of the New
lork and Queens County Railway, from
committee IF employees in the trans
portatlon department. The writer asked
the president would object if the
employees formed union, when the
women employees still on the road were
gong to be discharged, and also if all
conductors and motormen were going
~ ~ get the same rates as those in Man
nnattan. The demand was that Mr..
wood reply by yesterday
Receipt of Letter Denied
4, At Mr. Woods Offices it was stated
snat no such communication had been
secelVed by him. In one particular it
was SAID that the employees already re-
seive the same wages as their fellow
workers in New York.
Neither District Attorney Swami nor
V Soo Z; Hedges, receiver for the New
loFk Railways Company, would shed
atucn ~ light on Mayor Hylan's charges
VI VI. criminal conspiracy" The Dis
;sict Attorney said he was sill study
iAg the transit matter which the Mayor
ssked him to present to The grand
Jury. Receiver Hedges said, ~ can
~ aOs adversely criticise the Mayor for
ecoomin:municating with Mr. Swami and
vslllng uag upon him to do his duty as he
understands it.
Will ms is the same position I took
he 'n ;r lne Mayor. 1t would therefore
NJ Illogical for me to criticse the.
IN mayor yor adversely for following my lead
:" Calling upon him"