The San Francisco call., 1906-04-02
Ground ON Which Strike Is
to Be Declared Wholly
Fail to Awaken the
Sympathy of the People
CONFERENCE MAY
CONDUCE TO PEACE
Hundreds of Chicago and
Los Angeles Men Are
Ready to Take the Places
of Those Who May Go Out


/, OAKLAND, April I've are waiting
| for tomorrow's conference with the Trac-
ton Company" was the reply of w. h
Ellison. president of the carmen's union
| today when he was asked whether there
/ were any developments in the existing
conditions He further said:
I'VE believe there will be beneficial re-
suits from the conference
The unions headquarters at 1868 Broad
way were deserted during the day save
/ for the occasional dropping in and out
of very few carmen. The same might
be said Of the Oakland Traction offices.
There was decided lull in the situation.
/ Surface indications offered nothing upon
which to build theory as to the final
outcome of the strike talk that has been
| so freely circulated since the meeting Of
! the union Wednesday night President
! Ellison today went to San Francisco, but
failed to meet President Mahon and Pres
| ident Cornelius of the San Francisco
| Carmen's Union. He returned In the
afternoon and made the announcement
that there was no change in the situation.
| Still waiting for the conference.
| But with the waiting has followed
vast deal of talking and much thinking.
and many of the carmen are not a bit
| backward in their open discussions
| From the start the Traction Company Of
|
| lief that the strike call would not be
needed by many Of the carmen This
has been insistently declared, and with
decision which has led to inquiry as to
what the emphatic ideas are based upon
So far as can be learned by much inde-
pendent investigation the belief hinges
upon many statements made by the men
themselves to company officials since the
strike vote was taken Wednesday
night 1t is impossible to get word
| from the traction officials on this branch
| of the subject. When asked, they sim
/ ply say they are ready for the trouble,
| hut hopeful that 1t will be ayerted.
| General Manager W. F. Kelly has re-
| turned to Oakland and will probably take
part in -tomorrow's conference In con-
nection, with his absence from the city
1t is fact that he has been in Los
Angeles and has arranged for the em-
ploymert of large number of men In
case of a tie-up. These men have been
made available for service as soon as
the company shall require them Be
sides. there is a large force, numbering,
it is stated, one hundred men, within
reach. who have been sent from Chicago.
These arrangements, as we'll as the pro-
vision which has been made at the EN-
| eryville car shops for housing men, are
such as would be made by any firm or
| corporation under the conditions pre-
| sented since rumors of strike were
sweIled into the strike vote" of Wed
nesday night That vote has been the
subject of no end of discussion
The attitude of the carmen toward the
strike situation has become an interest
ing onei in view of the seeming unanim-
ity displayed by the announced result OF
the vote Far from unanimous is the
sentiment which the travelling public gets
in its daily contact with the men on the
cars. Many of the men, unhesitatingiy.
i he ri M a
passengers assert their views, and they
do not favor the strike idea at all Public
sentiment, which has crystallized rapidly
since Wednesday, is strongly against
strike.
One of the reasons why the strike
sentiment does not shape itself favorably
toward the carmen Is the fact that the
question of wages and hours has little
mart in the controversy. Nearly so per
cent of the Traction Company's carmen
receive the q cents an hour rate. and
somewhere around 100 receive the Is cent
rate, leaving a minority of about 200 who
are in the 25 cent an hour scale. having
been employed less than one year by the
company. The tnird-year men receive the
highest pay.
To-morrow's conference will turn the
scales one way or another. The carmen
have not indicated how far they will go1
In case opportunity offers for compromise.
The railroad officials have not given sign
or word of what they purpose saying or
doing. The conference viii be held in the
morning at E. A. Heron's offices in the
Syndicate building The question tonight
is whether a way out of the difficulty
Will be found which will avert the tie-up
which has been threatened by the car
mems union if the Traction Company does
not accede to its demands
There were no meetings Of the carmen
today. When Ellison returned from across
the bay he had little to report to those
who were waiting In an interview he
said:
/ and Mr. Cornelius this afternoon. but failed
10 meet them. probably because Of misun-
derstanding to time. There Is absolutely
! nothing new in the situation. and II Is not
! likely that there will be until after the con-
ference tomorrow. -
We firmly believe that this conference will
be productive of beneficial results. The car
| men will state their case to the representa-
| tiyes of the Oakland Traction Consolidated
! in spirit Of absolute fairness. and we ex-
pect them to reply in the same spirit. Our
! men realize that many OF US have homes and
! families, and we have wish to precipitate
\ a strike by being extravagant in our demands.
We intend to be fair and reasonable. and II
the representatives OF the company realize
ference as have said. Will doubtless be prof
ductiye OF beneficial results for both sides OF
/ the controversy.
/. President Ellison did not say whether
the union would agree to a modification
/ of the demands which the company has
already declared could not be accepted on
account of their attempting TO take out
of the company's hands the operation Of
the business"