Evening journal., 1910-03-01
DEMAND THAI
STRIKE END
Philadelphia Merchants TAX
ing a Hand in the Strike
Difficulties
PEOPLE PUZZLED BY
GENERAL STRIKE THREAT

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
| PHILADELPHIA, Pa, March l.
Powerful interests are to-day exertinr
all their influence to force the PhiIa-
delphia Rapid Transit Company to
arbitrate it's differences with the strik-
ing street car men and thus avert the
threatened strike Of all of the unions
In the city. 1t is believed these in
forests Will accomplish their mission.
In the face Of all Of the pressure that
Is being brought TO bear, the Rapid
Transit Company declares positively it
will not consent to arbitration. Signi-
hcantly connected with this declaration
was the act OF Director OF Public
Safety Clay in swearing IN 200 more
mounted policemen and 1000 more foot
policemen and announcing that, in the
event OF a general strike he will, under
a law of 1850, swear in every able
bodied man in Philadelphia for police
duty
That both sides are bIuffing seems 10
he tn truth OF the situation 1t ia
not believed Philadelphia business men
will allow the present strike to con-
tinue of the general strike to begin
They are losing too much money The
strike has cost Philadelphia a sum
consehvatlvely estimated TO be s., 600
and It is but eleven days old.
A committee from the Retail Merch-
ants Association. representing millions
Of dollars, will appear this afternoo,.
before the directors of the cor COM
pany and demand again that. arbitra-
ton be rosorted 20. The merchants
win insist that the street car COM
pany has no right to make every other
business suffer because Of its unwill-
ingness TO treat with disgruntled en-
ployes Nearly every clergyman in
tho city has interested himself IN the
movement. while tho Central Labor
Union is securing signatures to monster
petitions urging Councils TO act
I IL Is rumored to-day that n Coun-
{ ellis refuse 10 act Thursday. tho gen.
eral strike win begin Friday morning.
r instead OF waiting until Saturday af-
ternoon. The union men seem to realize
that Councils Is their last hope. Union
leaders will hold a secret meeting this
afternoon to discuss this new date for
calling the general strike.
Philadelphia is not taking seriously
this threat TO call general strike. II
70 is believed the public sentiment
20 brought to q head at Thursdays mef@
Ing. win force tho traction compan,
v 10 yield Worxlngmen are talking o
!. % omnstor street parade, 10 end at tn,
I City Hall for Thursday. The Councils
have not forgotten that other street
parade and demonstration under the
!, Weaver regime when rope nooses were
. lowered from the galleries by angry
. spectators during the vote on the gas
question.
2 Tho people arc sure Councils will
. act.
+ The crash Of collision between a Fifth
i street car and Southwestern trolley at
. jackson street last night brought mon and
- boys from squares around to pelt the dis
p abled cars with bricks and stones and as
p sault the crews. Tho Fifth street car
p crashed full into tho rear Of tho other
! trolley ifting Il from tho tracks and break
ing every window, being itsef thrown to
ore side
Fully a thousand people surrounded the
o cars. and with the memory OF the killing
q Of man and a boy at Sixth and Jack
g son street Sunday innaming them. n
{ attacked tho cars with blind fury.
Cries OF "Get that inotor1nan. herd
a the ono that killed Chaslie McISe OF
filled the air The moterman jumpeest
der a hail Of stones and fed 10 a 50
where he barrlcaded himself Tho {
. ductor was roughly handled. For ten. ~
q utes the mob had it's own way vi
4 cars. The police from the Fourth
! and Snyder avenue station charg
- crowd with drawn clubs, and after
y dispersed them
Il one policeman was left 20 guard
o wreck. and part Of the mob retury
l I.t.- ut.. n
y night and early this morning sl%s
q danced gloe0uIly on the wreck
!, bells and playing with parts Oh
i rope.
+, Twelve o'clock last night was
d limit given by the Transict Con
q the strikers to return to the W
T. tho carly reports this morning r
IT various barns was to the effect III
"A few Of the union men had gone
y work The men are In the fgh'
u finish. they say, and will not retltity
a less the union Is fecosi'i@eo ana TINS.
s. return together.
y The rain last night put a damper
70 rioting although one man was shd
" several others injured in clashes m
occurred between the police and thder
= ers in the southern sectioh of theit
M The disturbances were limited to
~ western portion Of the district. all th{
in tacks having taken place on rwen,