New-York tribune., 1921-11-01
Walk Out DeclaredbyMen
at Wild Meeting Behind
LockedDoors, WhereAll
Pleas Are Disregarder
Police Summoned
To Guard Borden's
Supply Assured for Hospi-
tails; $780, 900 Quarts
in City May Be Held Up

Milk drivers of the metropolitan
district voted an immediate strike
last night at Madison Square Gar
den amid cheers and the din of horns
and rattles and the hurting Of inns
promptu confetti and peanuts. -
No milk will be delivered to-day in
any Of the five boroughs or in the
surrounding countryside throughot&
Long Island, New Jersey and Con-
neclicut, except in remote districts
served by small dealers.
Late minute pleas made by Con-
missioner Charles Bendheim, Of the
United States Department Of Labor,
and by Grover A. Whalen, Commits
sioner of Plant and Structures, and
Special Deputy Police Commissionex
Carleton Simon, who spoke as the
representatives of Mayor Hylan,
were unavailing. The vote was S,03l
IN favor of strike to 1,24O against
it, and later the vote was mac
unanimous.
Hylan's Call Is Ignored
In desperate attempt to have tbs
strike called off, Mayor Hylan invited
three union leaders to his home soon
after the vote had been taken.
The union men told him that it was
were set on strike and now were OH
strike, they said, and it was beyond
their power to recall them or to en-
force their command even il they
could issue it. They did consent to
confer with the MAYOR to-day, but they
held out no hope whatever Of any I'd
resulting from such conference.
From the very start of the Garden
meeting it was evident that the lead
ers were not exaggerating when they
said their members were set on
striking. They came to the meeting
In festival spirit. 1t was to be.
Halloween and something of the hooa-
iumism prevalent among youngsters ct
that season was evident in the mea
and women at the meeting.
They poured out of the subway and
elevated trains and sightseeing busses
that came from New Jersey and Con-
nectlcut cities, almost all of their
carrying some nose-making instr
ment. Not a few of them came ir
their own cars. or those of friends, a,.a
the streets in the vicinity of the
Garden were crowded with their
The challenge, which the union fiuas
down at Madison Square Garden. wa
taken up by the milk companies, whose
representatives announced, as soon rs
the strike had been voted, that it was
going to be fight to the finish, tha.
they purposed to rid themselves es
union control and hereafter to opera.a
on the open shop basis.
1T may be necessary" they said in
statement. "in order to minimize tho
risk to property through violence. to
keep the retail wagons off the streess
for short time, but milk can be had
at any of the distribution branches and
will be placed in large quantities in
all stores and probably in schools aad
other public places"
When the first wild enthusiasm sor
the strike had cooled q bit the union
members said that they would care fts
their horses and wsuld see to it that
hospitals and similar institutions r..
ceived their milk.
Men Jump From Windows
Ignoring the regulations of the Fro
Department leaders of the Milk Drivs
ers' Union had padlocked all the doorls
to the Garden and had stationed guaris
of proved strength and loyalty at every
window. Two and half million
quarts of milk were at that moment;
awaiting transportation and delivery al
railroad terminals here, and the Lead
ers were determined that not one auass
should be delivered. Also they wished
to have as large proportion as possi~
bic of the 11,500 members of the unisfys
vote. II
In spite Of their precautions. how
ever, more than two hundred men
charged the windows, either because
they wanted to hold their jobs or be-.
cause they were tired of the restrpint
having been confined in the big hall
from 2 p. m. or earlier to $3.50. The
valiant two hundred or so got out, in
some cases taking window grating
panes and guards with them. The ress
stayed and cheered for the striks,
which their leaders told them wo 81
be won inside Of four hours.
Even before the result OF the yaSs
was announced violence had brokss
out in the strike. A mob gathered oue-
side Borden plant in East 117th
Street and tried to force their way !:
for the apparent purpose of disman-
Ting IL completely. A telephone mes-
sage was sent to DR.. Royal S. Copeland,
Health Commissioner, the entire pas
teurizing plant being threatened with
destruction, it was said, and Comm.s
sioner Copeland asked the police to
furnish protection.
The announcement made about 10
O'Clock in the Garden thas strike had
been voted put new fire into a meeting
which had been Wild from the start
Men and women who already had bcsn
shouting and singing for eight or niue
hours jumped to their feet with iaeo-
herent yelis, waved flags. banged each
other over the head or across thu
shoulders and formed in line to do 4
sort OF serpentine dance of triumnh
around the spacious noor. W
Tonight Is the Night
Tonight Is the Night" was Ne sio.
sraT "a fawkA k.,, - q