New-York tribune., 1919-03-05
Plant
TOCet Rid of
B0lshevisn1
New York Air Brake Com.
pany Acts Quickly When
Strike Is Threatened
Will Reorganize Forces
Promises to Pay Faithful
Workers Wages Lost Dur
ing Week of Idleness

The New York Air Brake Company
has thrown down the gauntlet to the
Rolshevik element within its laborin =
force. Threatened with strike of
l,500 of its employees at its plant at
Watertown, n. y. The management.
las suspended operations in all de-
rartments, excepting the iron foundry,
Tor one week. Complete reorganiza-
ton of the working force of the com
pAny has been undertaken and VIII
completed will result in the elimina-
ton OF all Of the radicals and trouble
some labor agitators in its employ, it
is stated.
Charles A. Starbuck. president Of
thc company which 5 capitalized at
$l0,000.000 and whose shares are listel
on the New York Stock Exchange, said
yesterday that the shutdown effective
on Monday and which will continue for
a week, viii give the comr1ny an op-
portunlty to purge the working organ
ization of the Bolshrvik spirit that
uttered IN during the war period. whom
~ was necessary to import skilled
labor from all over the country.
Hopes to Retain Force
t.on,' said Mr. Starbuck, "will find d
large part of our old working force in
tact, we hope. We have always. up 20
the present, enjoyed the Lest Of rclo-
tons with our men. Tncy have been
gwen the best working conditions pos
s'ble. We have always believed m
,urthcrng the welfare of our mon.
The difficulty in the present instance
has been the effect upon our old or
ganization of the influx OF agtators
through the coming Of men from other
industrial centres. As matters now
stand we are giving cur old men an
opportunity to register their willing
ness to come back to work when Oper-
ations are resumed. We hope to have
a working staff Of between 1000 and
5000 men on a peace basis of opcr-
alton"
The union organization planned
strike of the men in ell departments
Of the company, executing the iron
foundry, to begin on Monday Of this
week. The management of the corpo-
ration was informed of the programme
cf the union leaders and forestalled
them by ordering a shutdown Of the
plant effective on the day the strike
was to take place and to continue un-
til March 10.
Company's Statement
A statement issued by the company
in this connection says; "At a meet
ing held on February u il the office
Of tho resident manager OF the corpo-
ration at WatertoWn. at which a rep
rcsentativc from each of the depart
ments in the plant was present, it WAS
admitted by the mon tha. no grieY-
ances existed relative TO tHc hours of
employment or the rate of wages paid.
Il was apparent at this meeting that
the union denied the right of the com
pany to transfer capable workers of
long service who have been engaged on
munton work to its air brake plant
in order to increase the inetticiency,
which has been at low cbb, due to the
scarcity of skilled labor, nrcessit;ting
the employment of inefficient help dur
:lg the war time period"
The company opens day at Water
.own an employment department
through which the reorganization of its
working force will be handled. 1t has
announced in this connection that
"cmplovccs registered on this date and
who remain in our employ six months
subject to the rules and regulations Of
the company. will be reimbursed for
'hc week ending March 8, during the
time of reorganization.'
Officials said yesterday that the COM
rany has on hand 25,C00 sets of air
brake equipment so that the tenn
rorary shutdown will not seriously in
terfere with deliveries.