The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-03-04
NEITHER side
3 YIELDS POINT
philadelphia Gar Strike to Be
Fight to Finish
EARLE DOMINATES MkGNATES

One Man Thwarts Efforts Of Many
Organizations to Secure Peace.
Business Men Fear Strenuous Times
4 When Thousands Of Union Men
Join Ranks Of Strikers and open
Warfare on Rapid Transit Company.
Murphy Boasts OF Power.
Philadelphia, March 3.-Even II
they have to fight the whole city Of
Philadelphia and throw their company
into the hands of receiver, the d.
fectors of the Rapid Transit company
have determined to smash the car
mems union. All pretense OF con.
ciliatlon has now been thrown aside.
On the other hand, the 124 unions
that have pledged themselves to
strike in sympathy with the carmen
next Saturday are massing their
forces for battle which will make or
break labor unionism In this city.
Union men that have been TN the
most friendly terms with their EN-.
ployers notified them that, although
they were sorry, they would quit work
when the strike gong sounds.
This is the situation after days OF
effort on the part of influential mer-
chants and the citizens associations
20 bring about peace. Their failure
is due to the remarkable lmpiacab.l-
Sty OF one man, George II. Earle, pres.
tdent of the Real Estate Trust com
nany and ono of the city's three rep
resentatives on the board OF directors
OF the p. r. T. Several times, when
ehe majority of the directors swung
toward arbitration, Mr.. Earle stiffened
their backbones. At present the d.
eectors are unanimous. Mr.. Earle's
influence has been nowhere more
manifest than upon the mayor. The
mayor vacillated In the winds OF pub
hc opinion like shuttlecock until
Mr.. Earle took him in hand. Since
chat day when Mr.. Earle stood out
eingle-handed against peace and over
Awed q whole board OF directors, Rey-
burn has been Of all the lot the most
virulently opposed to arbitration.
There has been good deal of curios-
ity as to why Earle set himself so
etubbornly against all propositions to
bring the company and the men to-
gether. A story that he might be ap-
pointed receiver of the Il. II. T. If ag-
grieyed stockholders went before
court and persuaded the court that
their property was being injured by
the attitude of the company, was We
hemently denied. Mr.. Earle's own
explanation Of his attitude Is set forth
briefly. He does not believe that the
results of arbitration could possibly
be permanent. He believes that the
company would have to make the
RRme fight all over again with the
men, who have no respect for agree
ments.
Employers Prepare For Struggle.
The hope OF Intervention seems 80
temote that employers Of labor are
preparing to make the best of things
when trouble comes to them on Satur-
day. Many plants expect to shut up
absolutely, others eAgcct they VIII be
able to run on half tile. II looks as
N tuS wiz DG uulhs MuHs
ayers were notified by representatives
OF the Theater Mechanics association
that walkout WAS coming. or course
there are countless factories that are
not at the mercy OF unions, but even
these expect desertlons. The walking
delegates OF the unions have been
busy proselyting all week.
Just how many men Will quit work
on Saturday is all guessworE. j. j.
Murphy president OF the Central La.
Dor union. boasts that he can crack
the whip over 100000 worltmen. Few
but Murphy believe that so many will
strike. A conservative estimate puts
the number at $4,000
Merchants whose business has suf.
fered are asking themselves; III 5000
idle carmen can bring about series
or riots that cost half n dozen lives,
injured 200 people and made Ph'ladel-
phia shameful before the country,
what kind OF things are to be expect.
ed II 10000 men are thrown idly upon
the streets all animated by resent
ment against the =, II. TT" The very
euccess of the company In rolnsti,
tuting service which II has actually
done TO large degree, Is expected to
be an irritant when the general strike
eomes