The Washington herald., 1910-03-01

Philadelphia, Feb. Ex-senator
Jim McNichol, who is in Florida
with Recorder Ware, was appealed
to tonight TO hustle home and save
Philadelphia from the dangers of
general strike.
The situation has become so
alarming in the past twenty-four
hours that McNichol and Ware are
depended upon to succeed where
the clergy of the city failed.
The impression strengthens
hourly that the Central Labor
Union was not blufing when il or
dered a general sympathetic strike
Merchants and manufacturers who
laughed few days ago at the pos
sibility of extended trouble have
become apprehensive.
Business has been cramped
enough as 1t IS by the carmen
strike. The possibilities that hinge
upon a general walk-out have made
these business men highly uncom-
Portable.
The Philadelphia Rapid Transit Com
pany. who. for various reasons. Is in the
curious position of being about to lose
strike that it has won: a situation
brought upon itself by the snub 1t gave
10 the ciergymen Of the city when it told
the ministers that It w ofsn't arb.trate
ssyaEthissx The perunscy or one man.
George H. Earle. one OF three city rep
resentatives on the Pennsylvania Rapid
Transit board OF directors, required the
company TO take that stand.
Refuse 10 ArbStrate.
Previously, the sympathies of a public
were with the company because it was
generally believed that the company had
been fair with its men. and that It was
within its rights in declining to permit
Clarence o. Pratt, the Detroit agitatoT,
and the AmaIgamated Union street Rail-
way employees 10 dictate how and when
it should employ or discharge its men.
The strikers were willing to arbftrate,
ana it is known positively that they
would have agreed to the decision Of a
board OF arbitration even If the board
had eliminated the question TO a general
demand. The clergymen. including Bishop
Wilson, of the Methodist Church and
Archbishop Ryan, Of the Roman Catholic
diocese, offered means Of adjustment
The company through its directors, gave
heed 10 George H Earle and turned
down mediatory offers. Then. as had been
threatened. a general strike was planned
and called AS things stand now, it is
ten to one that 10000 men viii leave
their picks in the air next Saturday
morning unless the transit company de-
cides to leave the points OF difference
between itself and its men TO a board OF
arbitration.
Company Under Fire.
The company stands tonight in Just the
position it had the striking carmen three
days ago. It's back is TO the wall. and II
is being attacked by everybody who has
an interest in the present crisis.
During the day half dozen movements
were started TO compel the P. r T. to
arbitrate. Nobody wants a general
strike, not even the union men who are
preparing to walk out but the town is
thoroughly convinced that a general
strike is exactly what it is facing in
case the P. R. T. refuses
Investigation OF the situation to-day de-
yeloped this. Employers Of all kinds
brewers, heads of weafing factories. the
Cramps, men who employ machinists.
steamftters, carpenters tailors. milk
wagon drivers. electrical workers. and
a hundred other kind Of workmen have
asked their men what they really in
tended to Go If the P. r. 7. refused to
arbitrate. In almost every case they
have been informed that their employees
would abide by the decision Of their
unions.
When this became nigh certain the big
banks took a hand in the game. There
are many large Industrial concerns in
Philadelphia that have large contracts on
hand and are carrying these contracts
on money borrowed from the banks. Tbs
banks are keenly interested in preventing
a general strike. The put the solution or
the problem up to one OF the most pow
erful institutions in this city-the Market
Street Merchants Association.
Agree on plan of Action.
The merchants. headed by Ellis Gimbel
and Samuel D. Lit, got together and
agreed tentatively to take plans OF ac-
tons, one Of which, or both. may be
brought forward The first plan was TO
send word to BOSS NcNFfebo1 a-,s rsoz.
Ware to come home The second was 10
make direct representations TO the Penn
sylyania Rapid Transit that something
would drop il the company continued 20
hold out
If Senator McNichoI and Recorder
Ware respond TO the call. they are ex-
pected. at the direction OF the merchants
Continued on Page ., Column 3.