New-York tribune., 1920-05-26

S5OO,OOO F.snd Called
For at Astor Meeting
to Finance Trucking
and Secure Protection
Unions Challenged,
Say Their Leaders
Denounced by Speakers
for Trying to Install
Industrial Autocracy

l. III u I'll > L q AulOCTdCY
More than two thousand repre-
sentatives of the commercial inter-
ests Of the city, meeting at the Hotel
Astor yesterday, pledged themselves
in speech and resolution to see
through to a finish the fight of the
merchants to free New York of the
transportation troubles which are
paralyzing the business of the port.
There are indications that great
labor war is pending, and that prep.
arations are being made by both
sides. Those present were asked to
contribute to fund of S500000,
which the merchants say will be used
by their citizens transportation com.
mittee "to establish Independent
trucking facilities, and to provide
for adequate police protection and
appropriate legal proceedings"
Labor Conspiracy Alleged
With many union leaders sitting at
their elbows. the speakers generally
denounced the labor organizations that
handle goods in transit and are known
as the Transportation Trades Council.
They declared the labor men were in a
conspiracy to introduce Scheme of
industrial autocracy unparalleled in the
annals of the city,.
The sympathetic action among the
various kinds OF workers involved in
the longshoremen's strike had brough.
about a condition, said William Fell
loves Morgan, president of the Mer-
chants Association, (which the busi-
! ness community cannot and must not
tolerate any longer"
When Mr.. Morgan requested tnose
not IN favor with the project of the
merchants to establish an Independent
trucking system to leave the hall no
one departed but murmurs of dissatis-
faction arose from the table at which
were seated several of the union heads.
Among those were Hugh Frayne, or
gamer OF the American Federation of
Labor; 1. Y. O'Connor and Josepn
Ryan, president and vice president. re-
spectlvely, of the International Long
shoremen's Association; Edward NC
CaHrey, president of the Transporta-
ton Trades Council; William Kehoe,
Peter j. Brady, in charge of "The CITY
Record" and chairman of the allied
printing trades in the State of New
York VI we"
Some of the labor leaders were
plainly angered by the remarks of sew
eral OF the speakers. They saw in
them an open challenge to unionism.
Mr.. Brady arose while the resolution
was being offered and protested against
the proceedings. ~ note Won are re-
questing subscriptions of half a mill
ION dollars Tor the protection of citi-
zens, for private police," he shouted.
we mad an exhibition of private DO
nee last week in West Virginia. where
nlne men were shot. l hope that spirit
OF lawlessness is not going to he en-
couraged by those who may subscribe
this afternoon"
Union Leaders Disgruntled
Others of the union men who sought
nearing and were denied said later
that If they had been permitted 10
speak they could have shown the husi-
continue the fight Following an IN.
vitation by Alfred f. Marling, head of
the New York State Chamber of Com
merce, to the men to place their casa
before the merchants committee NJ
O'Connor said he would make an Of
Tort to see the committee TO-DAY.
OConnor further said that if the res.
olutlon adopted by the merchants i.
adhered to "the whole thing cor -.
settled in five hours"
The notice of the collection nf
aoOO,OO0 fund with which to carry ~,
tnelr battle was contained in cir
GUAR placed at each guests nlate
headed Underwriting Agreement with
tne citizens Transportation Commit
tee, composed of Messrs. Alfred F.
MarIlng, William Fellowes Morgan.
and others"
NO subscription would be binding.
said the circular, unless and until
the full $4,000 had been subscrihad
forty per cent of the subscription
was payable when the subscriber
was notified that the aggregate
sum had been attained, and the bal
ance IN lnstalments of not mora
man twenty per cent. at intervals OF
not less than thirty days as called for
by the committee. All funds not used
after the committee shall have ac-
compllshed its work will be returned
pro rata to subscribers.
Inc experience of San Francisco in
combating a similar situation in 1915
was recounted by Frederick J. Koster
former president of the Chamber -;
Commerce of that city. Mr.. Koster
told how, as head of the movement, Of
the merchants of his >o-v. San Fran
cisco succeeded in freeing itself from
the domination of unions that had
been "throttling the business and life
OF the city much as they are doing
here"
Mr.. Morgan, in introducing ths
speakers, went over the origin and
course of the strikes He told Of the
many efforts to settle the longshore~
mems waik-out on the coastwise lines.
which he declared was the crux of tho
whole trouble. He said the unions
had determined to ruin the coasvwjss
steamship companies rather than
yield.
Labor Combine Alleged
\The annual average of tonnage =,
the four lines. which he said the workS
ers now sought to put out Of business
IS more than $500 900, Of which 600