Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-04
PLAN A MIGHTY CONFLICT
LABOR'S FIGHT FOR SUPREMACY
IN SAN FRANCISCO.
City Suffers From DISQUALIFICATION.
Cost of Rebuilding and Prices in
Every Direction Excessive.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, June A
mighty conflict has just begun in San Fran
cisco. 1t is war between capital and la
bor Conditions resemble those in the ma
ton about the time of the firing on Fort
Sumter. A great issue has been dallied
with and temporized with until the battle
has been joined
San Francisco is suffering from rcapi-
talization in every line. Labor has formed
itself into trust which is apitalZed.
The cost of rebuilding the fallen city has
been altogether excessive. Material dealers
| have been forced to lower prices within the
last two days. They have done it peace
fully. in accordance with the law of supply
and demand.
The next step is to squeeze the water out
of the stock of the labor trust. There is no
indication that labor will yield peacefully.
Even with the strike of 1900 iron workers
settled, there are now 5000 men on strike in
San Francisco. Indications are there will
be many thousands more idle, with violence
and bloodshed an incident, and that the
progress of the city will be stopped until
this great issue has been settled Building
is practically at a standstill. and will re-
main until the cost has been reduced to
normal.
An Epidemic of Loot.
When there is an epidemic of loot, it is
easy to excuse an individual for succumb-
ing. Hardly had San Francisco recovered
from the first shock of the earthquake and
fire when the looting began, and labor
Joined. The landlord raised his rent, the
milkman doubled the price of milk, the
butcher added to the price of meat the
brick maker almost doubled the price of
brick, the lumberman came in for his share
of the loot the grocer levied Public serV-
ice corporations helped themselves from
the public. Public authorities rif1ed the pub
INN a q tn 1rf hay
efforts by these examples, went in for their
share.
Now has come the period of readjust-
ment. Political grafters beginning to
inquire into the accommodations at San
Quentin with the prospect that some of
their kind financial friends may occupy
adjoining cells. Manufacturers and dealers
in building material have been forced to
lower prices. and will have to lower them
more. Other prices are beginning to drop.
The Labor Trust.
The labor trust excited by it's power and
success, has gone to extremes which have
caused the worm of the public to turn.
The war has started
Patrick Calhoun. scion of the houses of
Patrick Henry and John c. Calhoun, is
the first man who has dared really to
fight He is president of the United Rail-
roads Company, which controls the street
against the two thousand former employees
who are now on strike. He is running his
cars. and there Is every prospect he will
continue to run them. despite the hostility
of the combined labor forces and their
mayor and police department..
Other employers and timorous business
men" are ''perking up" They have been
cowed by the power of the unions and have
feared to conduct real fight
Thousands on Strike.
At present there are on strike about 500
electrical workers. 800 beer bottlers, 300
coopers. 1900 laundry workers, 500 tele-
phone girls and 1000 others. Electrical
workers employed by the telephone COM
panies are threatening to go out in sympa-
thy with the operators.
This however. is not the most important
phase of the labor situa ton. There will
be practically no more building loans at
present schedules of labor and material,
and the building contractors, architects and
building trades unions, which had entered
into a combination of their own to loot the
public, have been brought face to face with
a readjustment.
One conference has been held with a view
to reducing wages. Nothing was accom-
plished at this. and there will be new
conference next Saturday. 1t is not eX-
pected the unions will consent peaceably to
any great reduction in the wage schedule
and then the great conflict will be on.