The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-09-20
TROLLEY STRIKE
CAMP AIGN ISSUE
Powerful New Jersey Political
Leaders Realize Next LegisIa-
ture Must Tackle Problem.
NORTH JERSEY COOPERATION
Big Cities VIII Make Joint Efforts.
Plan an organization--Me
tan New Jersey Conference
Operating for This End.

Trenton-The long strike of the
trolleymen and the Public Service
Railway has become injected into the
political campaign, and the Legislature
to be elected in November will no
doubt be faced with some of the seri-
Gus problems growing out Of the strug-
gle. At the state convention of Demo
cratic women at Asbury Park--a gath
ering somewhat unique in New Jersey
politics, and likely to result in others
the subject aroused keen interest,
and Governor Silzer's move in seeking
a receivership for the company was
indorsed with every manifestation OF
enthusiasm. The Governor, address
ing the convention, gave expression to
a belief that has possessed him since
the company also went on strike and
refused to give service unless its de-
mands are met-that it was time for
the state to exercise its sovereign
power and take the streets which be-
long to the people.
That sentiment appeared to reach a
chord in the minds Of the assemblage,
and there is now every prospect that
| in the final analysis the rights Of the
people of the state will come under
consideration in the last move for the
settlement Of the strike.
Until this station was reached, the
whole controversy appeared to have
been q three-cornered debating match
with the Public Service, the Utility
Board and the motorbusmen. The
other interested quantity-the people
who pay the freight--was submerged
and apparently forgotten. Governor
Silzer has reached the ultimate con-
clusions of a number of thinking citi-
zens of the state that the time has
arrived for the steps necessary to put
in motion the machinery of govern
ment, including the power of the
courts, to bring the deplorable situa-
lion to sane and satisfactory end.
even at the cost, perhaps, of several
millions of dollars to innocent security
holders.
The busmen of the state have fur
Their injected the strike into politics by
sending to all candidates for senate
and assembly QUESTIONABLE as 20
their attitude upon the relatively Of
the nimble bus They want the next
Legislature to look upon the present
! situation as a serious and far-reaching
economic crisis, as far as internal
transportation problems are involved;
and they propose to use all the intiu-
ence they possess to get voters in ac-
cord with their point of view. The
ousmen are convinced in their own
| minds that the long strike has given
full and satisfactory demonstration of
the ability of the trackless, rubberized,
gaseous vehicle to provide needed
transportation. They claim that long
Term franchises would permit them to
stabilize the industry; to install more
End larger buses and give quick proof
that the trolley car is passe
Both Forms Needed
Advocates of the trolley system are
just as firm in the conviction that the
claims of the busmen are only partly
tenable, and point to the vibratory
messages to which the riders are sub
jected as proof that the nimble bus
cannot possibly supplant the rumbling
trolley. The synopsis of opinion ap-
pears to be that both forms of trans
portation are needed, and that both
sides must give ground in the effort
to bring some sort of order out of the
existent chaos.
One thing of which the people are
sery sure is that they are sick and
sore Of the controversy, which is not
getting anywhere The Public Utility
Commission, to which appeal was
made by the Chamber of Commerce
and other bodies to end the strike,
gave the only possible answer it could
give, which was that it lacked the
rower to do any such thing. The only
power of the Utility Board under the
law by which it was created is to reg
ulate rates, and to see that adequate
service is rendered by such utilities
as may be in operation. 1t has no
mower to revoke a franchise granted
a corporation, nor any authority to
order men to work after they have for
any reason laid down their jobs and
sought rest.
EVEN ATOFGIuO1 RO1lACA . pAo1A 49, N~~~
appointment of receiver for the Pub
lie Service might fail to restore cars
tc the tracks. While receiver would
be part of the Court, acting as an
agent of the Court and under its d.
eection, he could not order the strik-
ing motormen to take the dustladen
cars out of the barns, or the conduc-
tors to begin to collect fares. The
strikers have agreed to accept the 10
ner cent increase in pay offered by
the company as part of its settlement
plan, but their agreement was with
the officers of the company and re-
oeiver would possess no authority
over them. Nor would the quo warran-
to proceedings begun by Attorney
eneral McCaran, at the suggestion
of Governor Silzer as another phase
or the legal proceedings, have any
different effect upon the strikers or
the company in so far as resumption