The New York herald., 1921-11-01

leave, as guards were posted at the doors
to prevent their doing so.
Eor a time the restraint was taken
good naturedly by the men. but as the
hours rolled by they began to mill
about and fights started In various parts
of the Garden. Brass ratings were
stretched across the main entrance and
at different times these were stormed
by groups of men who sought to leave
the building. Then a charge was made
on the balcony windows which resulted
in the smashing of several and the es-
cape of between 200 and 800 of the
drivers. The scenes inside the Garden
were such that the police guard outside
was treblcd after nightfall.
The drivers leaders and the distribu-
tors had been conferring intermittently
since Saturday afternoon. All the work
ing conditions OF tho new contract had
been gone over and agreed upon and
the matter OF wages was about to De
opened when the leaders bolted. The
MIX Conference Board insisted the ques-
ton OF a paid vacation should be dis
posed of first before the demand for an
increase should be considered. The driv-
ers objected to this and insisted wages
be settled first.
Union Leaders Bolt.
For more than two hours the con-
ference was deadlocked on this point.
The possibility of a settlement even
then loomed up when the distributors
announced they would withdraw their
demand of 10 per cent. wage decrease II
the drivers would forego their demands
sor an increase and a paid vacation
This the drivers would not agree to. and
,ipon "A signal from their leader. Walter
Witherspoon. vice-president of the Milk
Drivers Union, they left the hotel. an
nounclng there would be no milk de-
livered in the city tonight.
Charles Blenheim. Cancellation Com
missioner of the United States Depart
ment of Labor, who had been present az
this meeting, said afterward he thought
tat union men had made mistake not
fa cave an avenue open for negotia-
tiaas. He followed the union leaders
ua N to the garden and pleaded with
I'm again TO return to the meeting
AZ a deaf ear was turned to all his
aggestions Then NJ. Whalen and DR.
Simon appeared and received the same
reception.
Under the wage scale the distributors
offered to continue. inside milk work
ers were averaging between S29 and S3l
week and outside workers from $35
to S4f.
The milk conference board continued
In session even after the drivers dele
gates bolted, and discussed emergency
measures for the strike. AS In previous
strikes the first consideration was for
the hospitals, invalids and babies. II
was decided these could be provided best
with the companies present facilities py
shipping the rpilk to the big distribut-
Ing depots and to the hospitals. The
ID q IN N
ber OF the men remaining loyal and the
amount of milk distributed depends
largely on how many Of the drivers re-
fuse to go out.
First Violence Reported.
Mr. Nathans said just before midnight
at the first violence of the strike hac
;urred at the 177th street plant OF the
-dens Farm Products. Several mer
he thought to be striking drivers triee
70 break into the plant but were beateI
Of The secretary called Police Com
missioner Enright on the telephone ano
asked that the milk companies be giver
every protection possible Mr. Enrigh'
said he would issue orders Immediately
ii-v the nlacing of guard at all the milk
~ Is and to cover whatever wagons
glovs about the streets.
The strike affects not only the five
hproughs but Yonkers, Long Island ant
1S1v Jersey within hundred mile radius
of the city. The strike order calls ou
lpt only the drivers but the stablemen
pas'eurizers, helpers, bottle filters an.
saeiiers and the statesmen in the whole
sale stores and their clerks.
'rhl wage scale under which the mel
been working went into effect a
ear ago after arbitration before United
States Judge Garvin of Brooklyn There
was a threat of strike at the time
but the offer of Judge Garvin to act as
mediator prevented IL. One of the
drivers delegates said last night: Gar
vim prevented the strike last year. but
We are going through this time. 1t Is
going to be "a fight to the finish"
DR.. Copeland said the city might put
in force some Of the emergency meas
urcs that were prepared several weeks
ago when nationwide railroad strike
was threatened.
You can take 1t from me" he sail
that the hospitals, the sick and the
bs bies are going to be supplied with all
the milk they need. We will see jus:
how much milk is furnished 10 the hos
pitals tomorrow morning. and II 1t is
net enough we will proceed dt once to
take measures 70 insure the delivery OF
milk in sufficient quantities to all whose
needs must be supplied"