New-York tribune., 1920-08-30

W peg cent. Inc m0tormen and con-
ductors Of the surface lines, whose
wages range from sc cents to 62 cents
an hour, now want from 81 to 90
cents an hour. The shopmep, who do
repair work in the barns, want AN av-
erage increase Of S3 1-3 per cent. Con
ductors and guards on the elevated and
subway lines, who now get from 40 to
81 cents an hour, want from 70 to &C
cents an hour.
The conductors and motormen on the
surface lines also want to work a
straight nine-hour day, instead of nine
hours in eleven. The walkout affected
about 1900 al" and subway conductors
and guards, 4,500 surface motormen and
conductors and about $500 shopmen
and powerhouse men. The motormen
signalmen and towermen were not af-
fected, because they are members of
other organizations than the Amalga-
mated. The strikers, however, hope
eventually to pull these out too, and so
tie up the entire system completely.
Company Made Plans
There is every indication of long
drawn out battle between the strikers
and the company. The latter has been
making extensive plans for the event,
having brought in hundreds of strike
breakers from the West and Middle West
and opened up numerous employment
agencies to take on men to replace the
strikers.
These strike breakers began flowing
into the car barns yesterday in increas-
ing numbers, and with adequate police
protection the B. r. T. heads feel con-
fident they will be running their lines
on a SO per cent. basis in few days.
If the strike continues two weeks, it
was stated by one official. the company
would be in a position to furnish an 80
per cent. service.
The company heads frankly admit
they were caught mapping. They had
collected large number Of police and
strikebreakers at the various barns to
man the trains and cars at a moments
notice. After reports had been sent out
that the men had decided to postpone
the Issue indefinitely, in order to give
the Mayor an opportunity to bring
about settlement, the police and
strikebreskers were dismissed.
AS to this the stories of the carmen
and the company heads differ. The
strikers say that when they went to the
power houses shortly after midnight
Sunday to resume work, when it had
been decided to hold the strike off,
they found other men in the jobs. Re-
turning to Arcadia Hall, where the sec
ond batch of strikers were meeting,
they reported they had been "locked
out" The workers then decided to 20
out.
This, however, B. r. T. officials deny.
They say that they had always had new
men there for emergency reasons and
that the orders were specific that all
men reporting for duty were to be
given their jobs.
Chief Engineer Robbins declared that
the men who showed up and wanted
work, were put to work, and that there
was no lockout. He added that no
strike breakers were put to work until
after 8 a. m. Sunday, when the order
for the strike went out.
The surface cars ceased running on
the minute of o'clock. BY this time
the car men were ordered by the union
leaders to leave their trolleys in the
barns. No disorder marked the begin
ming of the walk-out and the company
omciais made no attempt to order out
s'1e. surface cars.
Mayor Hylan has sta+.d a..
patrons Of the system will bn n". .ne
Svery protection within his no,vor gwen
mas ordered Police Commlssione, alru Hr
ass $50 ~ use as many policemen az non
eGssary to protect life ana w., as nee
Sommissioner Enright annopnnodP paodPeity
isnt tia. that ne would permit no raro.; IaS'
a.on OF the violence that attendaS ipe.'. '.
years strike. "''enoed last
The only evidence of any service on
the system appeared on the al" and sub
way lines about noon time, when TWEEN
ty-ive two-car trains were started on
me Lexington Avenue, Fulton Street
Myrtle Avenue and Broadway elevated
ana the Fourth Avenue subway. Conev
Island was the chief sufferer from the
strike. Only about 100000, one fourth
OF the usual number that visits the re-
sort on Sunday, were there yesterday
and these reached the place by vehicle
or by boat.
;, sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach.
Manhattan Beach, Parkway Baths and
other resorts were completely isolated
Thousands of persons who went to
these places on Saturday were unable
10 get back last night. How they will
get back this morning Is a question.
measure of relief will be afforded
Dy numerous bus routes, which the
Mayor will have in operation this
morning and an emergency steamboat
service, which will cover Coney Island.
Bath Beach and the South Brooklyn
sections. The bus routes will not cross
the bridges, but will convey passengers
to the nearest stations on the Long
Island Railroad and the Interborourh
system.
The Long Island Railroad threw
many extra trains into service in an
effort to take care of the hundreds of
thousands of passengers that jammed
ghe Atlantic Avenue station in efforts
70 get to Manhattan or to Brooklyn.
The l. K. 1. service at this point was
entirely insufficient President He'd
ley declared that every available car
would be put into srvvice on this line
this morning. All ferry lines running
between Brooklyn and Manhattan an
nounced that they would have all .heir
boats in operation in order to helm
people get across the river.
Union Opens Headquarters
The union men, headed by Shea and
Sheridan, have taken up their head
quarters at the Labor Lyceum, ut Will
loughby and Myrtle avenues. During
the afternoon the joint executive <kom.
mittee of the strikers met here and
announced that there would he mass
meetings at the Lyceum at 10 o'clock
TINS morning and at D. m. Other
meetings of the strikers at other CEN
ters will be held from time to time a