New-York tribune., 1920-04-13
Strikers Reject
Mayor Hague's
Plea to Return
Arbitration Useless, Jersey
men Say at Conference;
Company Leaders Con-
delnned by Executive
Asks Two Sides to Meet
Carn%eu DENY Intention to
Walk Out; Idle Work
ers Silent ON Plans

Mayor Frank Hague of Jersey City
conferred at the Jersey City City Hall
Yesterday with committee of twelve
representing striking railroad men.
Mayor Hague advised the men to re-
turn TO work and condemned the atti-
tude OF the company representatives
who had refused to meet the strikers
except through the brotherhood chiefs.
Although dozen different strike
meetings were held in New Jersey and
Manhattan, this was the only one
where announcement. was made of the
proceedings. At least two were so Sc
cret that the place of meeting was con-
ceaed.
The committee which met Mayor
Hague was not disposed to consent to
any proposition involving return to
work pending arbitration. I'VE are
sick of arbitration. 1t doesn't get US
any place" one of the committee is
said to have remarked. Another con-
ference was called for this morning.
Brotherhood Leader Silenced
Timothy Shea, who represented the
brotherhood organizations at the Odd
Fellows Hall meeting In Jersey City,
spent strenuous afternoon. This
meeting was called by Local So, of the
Brotherhood of Engineers, and Local
adopted Daughters LODGE, of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Engineers. These locals represent
the employees of the Pennsylvania
Railroad operating out of Manhattan
transfer About l 800 men were pres
ent at various times. and the meeting
lasted from ? O'Clock until after 6.
Members of other New Jersey lodges
who could show proper credentials
were admitted.
Mr. Shea told the men, according to
reports, that they should go back to
work and that their action would re-
suit in the disruption of the brother
hoods. if they persisted. He was told
to "sit down" When he attempted to
continue he was told to "sit down and
shut up or get out" Mr.. Shea sat
down and said no more, but he re-
manned until after O'Clock, when he
departed to go into conference with
other brotherhood leaders at some un-
known place.
The noise of Mr.. shea's reception
was heard all over Bergen Square.
Refuse to Answer Questions
The meeting at Grandview Hall. the
headquarters of the newly organized
Union Of Railroad Workers, presum-
ably heard a report of the committee
which conferred with Mayor Hague.
Following the established custom at
Grandview Hall no reporters were ad-
mitted and the movements of the small
group OF newspaper men who waited
patiently outside were carefully
watched by strikers. Individuals who
were questioned were either abusive
or uncommunicatJve.
In statement to the public Mayor
Hague said:
81 want to say that I. believe the att
titude of the railroad officials, as ex-
pressed by their representative, Mr.
Rine of the Delaware, Lackawanna &
Western Railroad Company, who is act
ing as chairman of the general man
ayers committee of the affected rail-
roads, is a mistaken one. No employer
In this day, it seems to me, can re-
fuse TO give an employee a chance to
be heard. l applied to Mr. Rine on
Sunday to meet committee of the
serted that so far as any increase in
wages was concerned that matter was
regulated by Federal statute, which is
operative until September, 1920.
Acts for Public Interests
HEt~Nci lHdt US 50 Ci IOI, IL QOcS
seem to me that in view of the tremen-
dous consequences to the general pub
lie every effort should be made to
settle the dispute and unless the dis
putants come together to air their
views, certainly there is little likeli-
hood of the controversy being adjusted.
So far as l am concerned, l can see
little loss OF prestige to either side
If conference is held. l believe that
the strikers are willing to present their
managers committee.
The public is entitled, it seems to
me, 10 have every effort made by the
managers to settle the strike. That
effort should include hearing to their
employees
". j. Welsh, general chairman of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen of
the D. L. & W, asserted that the
strikers were losing out. He admitted
that the process was slow, but insisted
that the strike would soon be broken.
Looks are deceiving," he said.