The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-02-23
GENERAL STRIKE
MAY Be CALLED
Sympathetic Walkout Pro-
posed at Philadelphia.
MAY AFFECT MANY UNIONS.

President OF Central Labor Body Cues.
tions Heads Of Affiliated organiza-
tons on the ACCESSIBILITY Of Order
Ing Out the One Hundred Thousand
Members in Retaliation for the Ar
rest of Strike Leader Pratt.
Philadelphia, Feb. 23.--As a retail
1atory measure for the arrest of Ma
tional Organizer G. O. Pratt of the
Garments union President John J..
Murphy Of the Central Labor union,
which claims a membership of 100000
persons, has communicated with the
presidents of all local trades unions
affiliated with the central body ask
ing them the advisability of calling a
general strike in sympathy with the
street car men. Mr.. Murphy earlier
In the day stated that a general strike
had been ordered, but he modified this
later when he announced that the
proposition for general conflict had
been referred to the various unions.
President Murphy, who had been
up all night in connection with the
strike, said that a general strike might
be called by the presidents. Thirty
thousand men and women, he said,
had already expressed willingness
to quit work to help the street car
men and he felt confident, he added,
that all organized labor in the city
would agree to strike. -. y
Strike Leader Pratt was given a
hearing and held in $4,000 bail charged
with melting to riot, conspiracy and
disorderly conduct. Bail was fur
nished.
-. Given Power to Call Strike. <
The Central Labor union last Sun
day gave the executive power to call
general strike and whether such
shall be called, Mr. Murphy said, rests
with the individual unions. The Gen.
trail Labor union is composed of 300
delegates. said to represent 100 unions
in all kinds of trades. III
If the order for a general industrial
war is carried out to the letter it will
mean serious consequences for the
city, which probably will be felt in
other places as well. ID
Compared with events of the first
two days of the strike the morning
hours were quiet. There was the usual
stoning of cars in several parts of the
city, but no person was dangerously
hurt. The most serious trouble oc-
Cured in the northeast section, when
two boys were shot by policemen, it
is alleged. One of the youths was
struck in the chest by bullet and
seriously wounded.
No hand has yet been raised in an
effort to- bring about peaceful settle
ment of the strike. The Transit COM
pany says: 1T is fight to the bitter
end" n, Such is also the declaration of
the union. The company is running
cars on the principal lines, but the
service is not regular and few people
venture to ride. -@.@-s ri "
<, Battle With strikebreakers.
Mutiny, which broke out among
what are declared to be nearly 300
strikebreakers, kept by the Rapid
Transit company in the trolley barn
at Forty-third street and Lancaster
avenue, resulted in pitched battle
between a squad Of fifty Fairmont
Park guards doing police duty and the
strikebreakers. The disturbance was
caused, it is said, because most of the
strikebreakers wanted positions : as
conductors and were dissatisfied when
ordered to do duty as motormen.
Oscar Hammerstein announced that
the Philadelphia Opera House, where
he gives four performances of grand
opera each week, will be closed until
after the strike is ended and the car
service is normal. Mr.. Hammerstein
says he does not care to risk produc-
ing opera to empty benches.
All Of the theaters keenly feel the
effect of the stoppage of street rail-
way traffic. With no cars at night
the people remain at home and the
theaters are not even half full.
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