Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-03-15
BROKERS FORCE
TRACTION HEAD
TO CONFERENCE
Car Company's President
Meets Representative
of the Strikers
DISCUSS DIFFERENCES
Meeting May Be Entering
Wedge to an Early Set
tlement of Trouble
DISCUSS DIFFERENCES
fAssociated Pressl
TNHHuCIfIeu ITtsdI
m PHILADELPHIA, March 14.-The
first step taken by the Philadel-

II PHILADELPHIA, March 4.-The
first step taken by the Philadel-
n pha Rapid Transit company to-
ward settling the dispute with its
striking employees and. incidentally,
toward ending the sympathetic strike,
was taken late today when President
Kruger of the company conferred with
W. d. Mahon, president of the street
car mems union.
This conference resulted from out
side influences, and IL is the first time
officials of the company have dealt di-
rectly with any national officer of the
street car mems union.
The conference was held In the Of
fee of George II. Earle, one of the
citys representatives on the COM
panys directorate. Mr.. Earle and a
subcommittee of the general commit
tee in charge of the sympathetic strike
also were present.
The subcommittee consisted of w. j.
Tracy, vice chairman of the commit
tee of ten Charles Leps, secretary,
and Frank McCursker, a general or
ganizer of the textile trades. They
met Mr.. Earle II the request of Ed
ward l.. Stokes, member of the Phil
adolphia stock exchange to whom Mr.
Earle stated his willingness to discuss
the situation.
Mahon and Kruger
When these men met 1t was sug-
gested they were not competent to
discuss the car mems grievances, and
w ID. Mahon was sent for. President
Kruger, whose Office Is in the same
building, was telephoned for by Mr.
Earle. and Joined the party.
When the conference was ended Mr.
Earle said no plan of settlement was
discussed even tentatively, but the
difficulty of n settlement was gone
over. He and Mr.. Kruger said the
company wanted to safeguard Its loyal
men and that there seemed to be too
many for the positions that were
vacant.
Mr.. Earle insisted that no immediate
settlement was in sight and that no
change in the situation had been made.
At the conclusion of the discussion
Mahon and the subcommittee returned
to the strike headquarters and re-
ported to the committee of ten.
The willingness of the traction OFF,
eials to open negotiations with the
men was said to have been the result
of a position taken by members of the
stock exchange. who, 1t is said, nave
been supporting the stock Of the COM
pany The brokers are reported TO
have stated II the strike were not
ended before next Wednesday no fur
ther support would be given the stock.
Few Breaks in Ranks
There were few breaks in the ranks
of the general strikers today and more
industries continued to be tied up than
was expected by the employers and the
general public.
There was general disappointment
especially among the big textile in
terests at the refusal of the idle men
and women to return to the mills to-
day Practically all the hosiery mills
that opened up today were running
short handed.
The strikers reported accessions to
their ranks, principally among drivers
and bakers.
Banks and other financial institu-
tions declare the action of the Central
Labor union in calling upon all work.
ing people to withdraw their deposits
from financial institutions so as to de-
price capital of one of its weapons
had no effect upon them today.
About 200 men out of the 5000 on
strike at the Baldwin locomotive works
returned to work today. The Baldwin
strikers held n meeting this morning
at Labor Lyceum hall and formed a
union with temporary officers. A per-
manent organization will be effected
later.
The union leaders say n delegation of
the men called upon superintendent
Vauclain of the Baldwin plant today
and asked permission to unionize the
works. The union leaders stated that
if this permission were granted all the
strikers would return to work. The
superintendent has not given his an
sWer.
The calling out by the Central Labor
union of all union men employed in the
supplying of milk. bread and other
necessities of life had no serious effect.
Union men declare that the action of
the Central Labor union yesterday did
not become generally known until to-
day and that all union men engaged in
the handling of food products will obey
the strike order eventually. Large milk
dealers and others, however, assert the
strike will not seriously affect the food
supply of the city, as men employed in
these lines of trade are not strongly
organized.