The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-16


Hall and getting assurance that the
board wonld sit.
That the Mayor will recede from the
| attitude OF antagonism which he has
assumed toward the brotherhood's de-
mands seems doubtful. Early in the
/ day he announced his stand in a state
ment charging them with being parties
| TO a general conspiracy to increase fares,
which letter follows
| THE next move in the programme
Of forcing the city authorities to grant
higher fares to the traction companies is
scheduled to take place between tonight
| and Sunday morning. 1 am informed
the Motormen's Division OF the Brother
hood OF marlborough Employees has
| served notice on Superintendent Hedley
that unless q 80 per cent. wage increase
In granted them by 6 o'clock tonight
! Its members will 60 on strike on Sunday
morning at 4 o'clock.
This threatened strike looks like
what the police would call an inside
job It will really be a strike by the
Interborough, its officials and employees
against all of the people OF the city
of New York
The citizens of New York should
prepare themselves accordingly. Every
effort will be made by the municipal
authorities. insofar as possible. to pro-
vide temporary travelling facilities, and
the Police Department win prevent any
disorder.
Swami Ready TO act.
"If the strike is a result of a con-
spiracy following suggestions made to
the men by officials of the company and
others in authority. District Attorney
Swami may be depended upon to deal
vigorously with that phase OF the sit
uation.
TT will be hard to convince any in
telligent person that the marlborough
officials and employees are not working
together to tie up traffic to force the
granting of higher fares. The members
Of the Brotherhood of marlborough En-
ployees. which organiZat!o is controlled
by the Interborough Company, would
hardly fly in the face of public opinion
by such an extraordinary and peremp-
tory demand II they did not have strong
belief that they would not lose favor
with the management in the doing
of it,
The leaders OF the brotherhood in turn
said of the Mayor that II he were to
appear at one OF their meetings to ad-
drees their fellow members he would
probably be thrown out Of the window.
Mr.. Post said that there was a marked
dinerence In the manner assumed by the
present Mayor toward the car men and
that generally adopted by John Purroy
Mitchell.
William Fox. one OF the leaders, said !:
TT is pretty tough when citizens have
to walk out Of the Mayors office because
of his insults. 1 think the people of the
city are very unfortunate in having such
a man in office"
These men spent much time at their
headquarters at Forty-second street and
Third avenue last night in laying plans
for the coming battle. and It was said
that they would send committee Of
sixty five members to the conference this
afternoon to present their side of the
case to the Board of Estimate.
Court Favors Raise.
Just what action the employees OF the
New York City Railways contemplate is
not known, as they have their own
bro therhood. which has not taken any
aggressive action. These men. like the
marlborough men, were granted a 10
per cent pay increase last Wednesday,
but as the line is in the hands of re-
ceiver 1t was necessary for this increase
to meet with the approval of the court.
Federal Judge Julius NJ. Mayer yes
terday wrote Job e Hedges, the re-
ceiver. stating that he approved of the
raise in wages. Whether the men will
accept II or reject It, as the marlborough
men have done, remains to be seen.
To a late hour last night the Amalga-
mated's gathering at Lyceum Hall had
rot assumed large proportions, which
was doubtless due to the aggressive ac-
ton taken on the wage question by the
brotherhood, which has satisfied the ma
Jority of its members
Louis Fridiger, p. J. Shea and other
union officials who staged the Brooklyn
car strike, spoke to bare seven hum
bred, but II was explained that many
men were kept at their work and would
attend later. The audience was said to
be made up largely of New York Street
Railway employees, with very few Inter-
borough men, II any.
One former Interborough man was
there to tell how he had been dis
charged because OF his failure to Join
the brotherhood, and Fridiger, Shea and
other organizers and agitators made
speeches in which they called the broth
erhood tool of the company Fridi-
ger saying that marlborough officials
we're using 1t as a shield behind which
10 attack the public,
Police Rout Pickets.
There was some slight disturbance
when the Amalgamated officials sent a
call for police to drive brotherhood pick
cts away from the door. and a force ar
rived for that purposer Mr., Frtdiger
remarked that a number Of company In
spectors were inside the hall, and he adj
dressed one of these by name, after
which the man received so many I'M
complimentary remarks from the crowd
that he left.
The speakers urged the men TO refrain
from violence. Mr.. Fridiger praised the
police for their fairness and told the men
that they should conduct an honorable
strike. and one that would not bring dis
respect to their organization.
While this comparatively small group
was assembled. a much larger gathering
was attending a meeting of members Of
the brotherhood at New Star Casino.
10th street and Lenox avenue, where
Mr.. Connolly appeared upon the plat
form and with other speakers denounced
the Mayor amid cheera from 600