The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-07-10
ST. LOUIS STRIKE
RESUMED TODAY
Car Men Claim That Transit
Company Violated Agreement.
NEW GRIEVANCES, ALSO
President and ylee.Prsldent Of the Com.
pany Attempt 10 Reassare Tie Men,
Bat to No AyaII-wiH Not
Rua Cars From Today.

ST. LOUIS, July 9.-Two thousand
five hundred members Of the AmaIga-
mated Association Of Street Railway
Employees Of America met in the West
End Coliseum today to discuss the ad-
visibility Of resuming the strike on
the lines OF the st. Louis Transit Com
pany, recently declared of after two
months duration.
Chairman Edwards. OF the grievance
committee, presented a list II specific
cases In which the association alleged
that the company had violated the
agreement Of July by employing new
men since that time.
Harry A. Bryan. national organizer OF
the order. said:
BY the manner In which the street
railway officials have broken their
agreement, it is patent that their
words are unworthy Of belief You men
here hold the key to the situation. It
is for you to say Il you want to keep
the strike off. or It is for you to say IL
you want to declare it on again."
A motion was made to declare the
strike on again. Before the motion.
could be put. however. Chairman Ed
wards was called out Of the meeting.
and ]. P. Wilson forced his way to
the platform and spoke. He said that
after reading the company's statement
Monday morning he went TO some OF
the heavy Transit Stockholders and
asked them what the company intended
to do. He declared that some Of these
stockholders asked President Whitaker
over the telephone what the company's
intentions were and was told that he
(Mr. Whitaker) was preparing letter
to the men at the time. The stockhold-
ers asked Wilson. he said. to advise the
men not to be rash. but to await the
letter from Mr.. Whitaker. At l o'clock
a recess was taken to await the arrival
of the letter.
Shortly after o'clock a letter from
President Whitaker was sent to the
members Of the Street Railway Union,
setting forth how the company pro
posed to carry out its agreement en-
tered into July 2 The letter stated
the position Of the company in regard
to the agreement and the method the
company is using in reinstating the
men. --------y Y
1t further saws that number Of
the men have already been reinstated,
and that others will be as rapidly as
possible. The letter denies that the COM
pany has broken its agreement with
the men, and says that the company
20 keep absolute faith.
At the conclusion Of the reading Of
Mr. Whitaker's letter. Chairman Ed
wards said Il satisfactory to
him, and he was willing to take
vote on the question Of a renewal of
the strike at once.
At this point it was announced that
Vlce-President Frederick W. Lehman,
Of the Transit Company, desired the
Of addressing tine meeting.
Mr., Lehmann, who was invited to the
platform, said in part:
The agreement Of July was enter
ed into in good faith by those whom
| represent, and with the purpose OF
carrying it out to the letter. l pro-
pose to use every influence that pos
sess to see that 1t is carried out"
A vote was then taken. and it was
unanimously decided at 2:SO this after
noon to resume the strike and boy
,ott against the st. Louis Transit Com
pany. 1t was ordered by the union
hat the strike 90 into effect imme-
lately, and that the boycott be re-
lewed at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning.