The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-03-15
PEACE IS ONCE
MORE IN SIGHT
Philadelphia Strike May End
In Few Days.
EARLE BEGINS TO WEAKEN

Rapid Transit Company Has Lost
s1,soo,ooo In "a Days and Stock
holders Feared Reoeivership--Mem-
ber Of stock Exchange Acted As
Mediator Between Man Who Held
Out SO stubbornly Against Arbitra-
tlon and Union Leaders.
Philadelphia, March 15.--It is prob
able that the street car strike will be
settled and the general strike be
called of within 4s hours. The man
who blocked all efforts toward arbi-
tratlon surprised the city by taking
the lead In overtures toward the la
Dor unions. George II. Earle was In
conference with William d. Hahon
and other labor leaders. President
Kruger, of the Rapid Transit COM
pany, also participated.
The Rapid Transit company has
lost 81 100000 In "a days and the out.
look was for u receivership and q re-
organization which would prove cost
ly. The information is that few
men financially powerful, have be-
come interested in the Rapid Transit
company, decided that the thing had
gone far enough. So young man
named Edward Lowber Stokes, q
member of the stock exchange, was
put forward.
Mr.. Stokes, representing, II Is un-
derstood, the underlying stockholders
of the p. r. T. company went to Mr..
Earle and asked him II he would con-
sent to have talk with Clarence o.
Pratt and other leaders Of the strike.
Mr.. Earle said that he would be glad
to talk the situation over In friendly
manner with almost any of the union
leaders except Pratt. He would not
stand for the latter. Mr.. Stokes trav-
eled to the headquarters Of the COM
mittee of ten, that is directing the
general strike, and put the matter ur
to the unions. Then Mr.. Earle was
asked IL William ID. Mahon, presi-
dent of the International Federation
Of Street and Electrical Railway en-
ployes, would be an acceptable sub
stitute for Pratt. Mr.. Earle said that
he had no objections to Mahon. The
meeting was arranged instantly and
was held in Mr.. Earle's offices.
With Mahon were Stokes, Frank
McCusker, president of the Textile
Workers Union; Charles Leps, Of the
Central Labor union, and William It.
Tracy, vice president of the commit.
tee of ten. There were two confer
ences. At first Mr.. Earle met Stokes,
Leps, McCusker and Tracy. Then
Mahon arrived and together they
went over all the difficulties in the
way of a settlement of. the strike.
Mr.. Earle did not feel able to answer
all the questions touching upon the
attitude of the company, so he sug-
gested that President Charles o.
Kruger be telephoned for. Mr.. Krug-
er arrived at Mr.. Earle's office few
minutes later.
The company appeared to assume
that the overtures came from the
strikers. The strikers were sure that
the company had made the first ad-
vance. Both sides seemed pleased
and confident that peace Is in sight.
Mr.. Stokes said: II believe that
the whole thing vii settled. Ger
tainly hope so. The matter was
brought down to pretty fine point
at the meeting"
1t was learned that the meeting re-
solved itself into discussion between
President Kruger for the company
and w. ID. Mahon for the car men.
After grievances had been threshed
over, Mahon asked what the COM
pany was willing to do. Mr.. Kruger
replied that the company would in
sist on taking care Of 1400 men who
had remained loyal to It, and that
there were $50 OF the strikers that
would not be taken back under any
circumstances. Mahon said that the
company would have to take all or
none. Mahon said: Certain propo.
sitions have been made looking to-
ward settlement of the strike. Mr..
Earle promised to put several propo-
sitions up to the transit company as
soon as possible. / have great hopes
| that naapa will emma In N dav or tuo -