The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-02
STRIKERS SURE
THEY WILL WIN
Philadelphia Car Men Think
Council VIII Force
Arbitration
CONTINUE TO PREPARE
FOR GENERAL ALkO
Believed That Officials Refusal to
Recide Will Cause Every Labor
Organization IN City to Join
Sympathetic Movement.

PHILADELPHIA, March 2.-{jp-
less the officials Of the PhiIadeiphia
Rapid Transit Company be forced to
recede from tsseir persistent refusal
to arbitrate with their striking EN- .
ployees by Saturday Philadelphia will
be In the throes Of one OF the most
serious labor ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
q history Of q big American city.
Every union organization In Philadel-
phia, 1t Is believed. will join in tn.
general call for q sympathetic strike.
Present Indications are that IL will
take some hitherto unthought of expe-
dicnt to force the street car
to agree to arbitrate.
Despite this p~essiniistic view Of the
situation. which Is forced by the atti-
iude of the company in refusing posi-
lively to deal with. its striking EN-
pioyees. the leaders or the strike to-
day expressed considerable confidence
n declared they will n have TO re-
81 to the general walkoat.
While Philadelphia is not q strong
union city, there are at least 100. 600
well organized union men here. who,i 1t
r. believed, stand ready To obey the or
der to go out Saturday. Various locals
have been holding referendum votes
since the general strike was called last
Sunday. and in every instance they
kAht0 okt4 W ~ AaG S4tS~ n ~
Those unions which have not voted
viii do so before Saturday. The locals
which have already voted to go Out.
7 according to reports furnished at
hnion Headquarters. Ia a member
ship OF 1880 men.
Although the State police haze been
Withdrawn and returned to their VA
rious stations In the western portion
OF Pennsylvania and the State F>7lci-
ifAx $3.50 kSar. rAftastAd frr.x - 81 In
duty, no trouble was reported last
night. The officials, nevertheless. are
inclined 10 believe this a calm before
the storm, and are to-day swearing In
every man who applies for a position
as IA special policeman. IT is reported
tina at least 2.eeo men have become
special opti1eman within h past two
aaai. although exact figures are re-
fused by Director OF Public Safety
Clay.
Councils " Last Hope
The merchants. ministers, probes
saonai men and isynaen who have
Joined In a demand hat the street
car agree to arbitration have
not given III hope, despite the ahst-
lutte refusal of the company to agree.
The last hope Is councils, which, at
its Thursday meeting. will be asked
10 force the company to yield. The
ElNyLQL ~IiLaurtpAsA Has " laAS fnaH-
efaf Interest in the management OF
HIT e,ssa pasass and essstas4as ssAs III
a hand. A number OF. committeeman
and select coGnciilnen have already
declared themselves In favor OF arbt-
tration, though they admit they can
not see what they can do to force 1t.
Among the larger unions that hase
already agreed to go out Saturday
are the carpenters and builders. num-
bering 5000: briokleyers. 2.I00; mold
ers. 1000; musicians. 2.291. brewery
workers. 2,e16: cigar-makers, 2.3oe:
hatters. $500: railroad trainmen. L.
500. carpet-makers, 1890. plasterers,
500; united Hebrew trades, 5000. and
grocery clerks. I.8oo.
~Philadelphia has not the appea
ance OF a city on the verge OF a great
labor outbreak. AS a matter OF fact.
as the day progresses. the belief
grows that the dispute viii never be
allowed Ia so to the point Of g gem
erai strike.
Though the Philadelphia Rapid
transit Company o~bstinateiy refuses
to accese 10 arbitration. poaerfu; In
terests are being brought 10 bear on !
councils to force the caiapsuy to bend
the knee. There IS II doubt that. \
politically, such a s:r:ks would hurt
the McNieho. machine.
The resolutions to he presented to
councils Thursday. and which. II Is
believed. will pass. will be so worded, /
+ j. said that the can grace I
fully retire from Its position.
Lose 100000 Daily.
There II no doubt that the p~eor,ef
pr philadelphia have withdrawn sym
pathy for the rapid transit company
and given 1t to the strikers. The
Qoas 10 Philadelphia merchants Is con
eervatively estimated to be $500, 900 (
j Gay and the merchants are bringing
Ill their powerful influence to bear
p settle the strike. The public Isl
unit in demanding an early set
fNSrnent. A proposition made by an
Mernoon newspaper to have the dr.
AfRnoes arbitrated by representatives
ct the a company and the mem
themselves. with Chief Justice Fell.
~ a state supreme court. as UNI
.pfre. Is meeting popular approval.
In spite OF I'LL this peaee tafk an0t
the growing belief that the threatened
strike VIII Re allowed to take
place, uniontsts are preparing for the
general walkout. The meeting at the
Central Labor Union tonight is re-
EArded as especially important. in
view o. the growing demand among
scne OF the men that the general
strike take place Immediately. There
n ground for the belief that the
leaders may decided to call the gen
erai walkout for Fridey morning III
tounciiE doesn't take some positive
astion Thursday.
The police have found no ~ Of
the auto party which fred several
rh0ts into the a.r at Market and
Juniper streets. late last nlghf. Ecx.
cited witnesses declare the shots were
fired al Mayor Rfyhurn's ONCE III the
satv hall. Int Special Policeman Riley.