The Washington times., 1910-02-28
POLITICAL POWERS
MAY AVERT STRIKE
Philadelphia's Labor War
Scheduled to Start Next
Saturday.
COUNCILS MAY ACT
FOR ARBITRATION
State Senator MCNichol Re
garded AS Man to
Bring Peace.

PHILADELPHIA. Feb. S.-Politics
has entered strongly into the strike of
the streetNcar men in Philadelphia and
the threatened strike Of 100000 union
men in sympathy. and few believe to-
day the sympathetic strike viii be al
lowed 10 take place.
A monster petition is 10 he circulated
by the Central Labor Union urging city
councils to force the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Company to arbitrate, the alter
native being a general sympathetic
strike.
The common and select councils Of
Philadelphia are under the domination,
It is declared, OF state Senator James
P McNichol. organization leader. Nc
Nichol is looked upon as the man who
will cause councils 20 force arbitration,
end the present strike. and avert the
general strike
McNichol. however. is The political
co-wOrker of State Senator Clarence
Wolf, vice president Of the PhuadeI-
phia Rapid Transit Company Wolf.
the strikers declare. is responsible for
the attitude of the company IN dismiss
ing 500 union men and forcing the strike.
Wolf, IL is reported. would fight arbitra-
tion unless unusual pressure could be
eXerted upon him.
Political Life at Stake
Unionists look upon AIcNichol to exert
this pressure. They declare the life Of
the McNichoI political organization is al
stake, ard that the leader will be forced
by public opinion to cause councils 10
act Thursday
Even strike leaders today express a
belief that the general strike will not
take place. They say they believe cOun-
ellis will force arbitration and thereby
avert the sympathetic walkOut-
In the event councils refuse 10 act,
the union men have settled upon Satur-
day, March D. as the day for calling a
general strike Of union men in this
city. They declare that at least $1,000
men will answer the call. practically
tying up business OF all kinds.
c. o. Pratt. national organizer Of the
car men. in charge OF the strike. de-
clared today he was sure public opinion
would compel a settlement Of the strike
II arbitration before Saturday.
4 believe that between now and sat
urday certain public interests VIII IN
tcTvene to make a general strike un-
necessary" he said, significantly
Minor Clashes Reported.
Two minor clashes were reported by
tie police today. A crowd Of boys
stoned a car on Ffty-sixth street in
West Philadelphia Policeman William
COnIan, 10 attempting To set or the
car TO dispcrse the mob, tripped and fell,
fracturinc his skull He viii recover.
At Forty -ifth- street and Lancaster
avenue Policeman lie Strange fired sew
eral shots IN the air TO disperse a crowd
that had stormed a car. He made one
arrest.
The philadelphia Rapid Transit Com
pany advertised today, warning striking
street car men that tomorrow was the
last day they might return 10 work.
The traction company declares S0y of
a -rr.I- -e4frr rslrH Tr1rla hr NJ
union leaders emPhaucally deny this
statement
Declaring street car traffic sufficiently
safe 10 warrant II, city authoIiueS TO-
day reopeneG tte four high schools for
girls closed last week.
The street car company declares il is
running more cars than on any previous
day. a heavy rain Is keeping crowds
of the streets and no further trouble is
expected To-Day.
Seventy-1ve Hurt in Riots.
Sunday and Sunday night were
marked by scores Of minor riots, which
In two or three instances assumed seri-
Gus proportions. i is estimated today
BY the various hospitals that at least
seventy-tive persons were treated at the
various institutions for wounds inflicted
by flying bricks and poIicemen's clubs.
Two persons were killed by a wild
car and several injured as direct re-
sons were fatally wounded, one boy
being shot by a policeman and another
having his neck broken b va flying
brick.
Dynamite torpedoes. such as are used
on railroads were used in two instances,
on each occasion smashing the windows
in the vicinity. The riots spread 20
sections Of the city which hitherto had
been peaceful and the State and city
policemen had their hands fun all day
and until late n night
All the so-called riots resulted from
stoning Of cars. IN many cases the po-
lice reserves were called and battered
I'd the heads of all In sight with their
clubs. Scores OF shots were fired
though I'm nearly every case over the
heads Of the strikers.
Company Ready to Resume.
The street car company during the
day Sunday had nearly l.0c1 cars in op-
Grafton and announced that nearly 81
@OUld be operated during the night
but the spreading of the riots to al
sections caused them 20 take off al
least $50 of the cars scheduled for night
duty. Today, however, nearly Loo
cars are being run and the company Of
hcals declare they are ready TO resume
complete normal service if the police
give the word
At a meeting Of the union delegates
last night IL was decided 90 postpone
action on the general strike until coun
els had acted or refused to act. The
session Of the union men lasted from
10 s o'clock and IL is declared th'
vote for a general strike was by nj
means Unan nous.
The resolutions finally adopted pointe,
out that the city OF Philadelphia wa
largely interested in the financial mana
cement Of the Philadelphia Rapid Tran
sit Company. and that Mayor Reyburn
George II. Earle. jr, and William Car
penter were the city's representatives O
the hoard of directors Of the street ca
COMPANY.