Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-12
CRIPPLED CITY
RISES AS UNIT
TO END STRIKE
ALL BUSINESS INTERESTS ARE
MERGED FOR ACTION
APPEAL TO TAFT, CITY COUNCIL
AND BANKS
Philadelphia Traction Company and
Employees Maintain Relentless
Labor Warfare-No Sign
of Either Weakening
IAssoclated Pressl


II nHILADELPHIA, March 1.-THE
call for arbitration between the
Il Philadelphia Rapid Transit COM
pany and its 1000 or more striking en-
ployes became insistent today.
From all quarters of Philadelphia the
demand for mediatory measures was
voiced. Everywhere 1t was recognized
that failure to arrive at any arbitral
agreement was the only thing that
prevented a speedy ending of the gem
eral sympathetic strike, which has
paralyzed the industrial life of Phlla-
delphia, and which, the labor leaders
say, will spread If the deadlock con-
tinues.
These threats, perhaps. were the very
things which stood in the way of an
amicable adjustment.
THE vested interests" as they are
sometimes called. resent the hint of
coercion. After discussion of the strike
question a large gathering, represent
ing more than thirty business organiza-
tions of the city, adopted a resolution
in which three separate influences are
invoked to end the industrial war.
Banks Involved
The citys banks are requested to
use their influence for arbitration or
equitable settlement. Each commercial
body represented was asked to induce
the councilmen to call special meet
ings of the city council for action to
induce the company and its men to
come to terms.
The resolution took a wider scope,
however. in directing that telegram
be sent at once to Seth Low president
OF the National Civic federation. ask
ing that the federation offer its serv-
fees as arbitrator. A petition to Presi-
dent Taft. presented by Alfred II.
Love of the Universal Peace union,
was numerously signed by the busi-
ness men at the close of the meeting.
1t suggested that the commission for
the promotion of industrial peace.
which had at it's disposal the funds
donated by Theodore Roosevelt, from
the Nobel Peace prize, be asked to act
in the crisis here.
Immediate action was the demand
of every speaker of the afternoon.
Tonight the company, through Presi-
dent Kruger. announced its willing
ness to comply with Mayor Reyburn's
request to confer with men willing to
return to work. In his letter to the
mayor M. Kruger said:
Will Take Men Back
81 take the responsibility of saying
that as far as there are vacancies we
snail receive the men back until Mafcn
16, 1909 OF course we must Loyalty
guard the rights of the men who have
been loyal to us, and we think 1t only
fair to point out In this connection that
we are now rapidly filling our ranks"
c. o. Pratt, leader Of the striking
carmen, said tonight that the action
of the mayor and the responsive offer
of the company was a bluff.
In its usual daily statement the COM
mittee of ten tonight claimed increases
in the ranks of the general strikers
during the day, and declared the work.
ers of the state only await the word to
join the movement here. The state
ment indicated possibility of further
trouble by declaring:
IF within forty-eight hours the pres
ent general local strike is not settled,
every tabor organization now on strike
will be instructed to formulate de-
mands for wages, hours and conditions
of labor they deem commensurate with
the increased cost of living now upon
us.
RAILROAD employees, miners unions
and labor organizations of every craft
and trade throughout the state will be
notified to take similar action