The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-06
GREAT CITY'S INDUSTRIES
 ARE PARAlyzED BY STRIKE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE D

 number will be augmented to nearly 100000.
 The Philadelphia Rapid Transit com pany seized today as the psychological moment to make a supreme effort to break the strike. The company operated over 1000 cars and during the afternoon while the parade was moving through the streets a few of the more reckless took occasion to annihiIate some of the companys rolling stock.
 The national labor outlook now centers upon Philadelphia.
 Pennsylvania is the pendulum in the national unrest. This is directly due to the preponderance of union labor en- ployed In the manufactores of the state. Pennsyvania is essentially a manufactur- ing state and at the present time when labor conditions are in turmoil through out the country his commonwealth takes the lead. An indication of the general apprehension was shown today when the word came from Washington that Pres ident Taft will address a big labor meet ing in Atlantic City on May p. At the same time we have the instance of At torney General Wickersham becoming in- terested in the claims of President Sam uel Gompers of the American Fedora ton Of Labor, who fears for the amicable relations between labor and capital if the present attitude of the big corporations Is maintained. .. A The Greatest Danger
 The gravest danger is the possibility of strike of the employees of the Balti- more and Ohio railroad The peculiar condition which exists there would likely cause sympathetic strike. which. might tie Up the trunk lines of the country.
 With this alarming state of affairs ex- t-k ~ l. 1af ra+aA n Q vortex point of Philadelphia to bring about an adjustment. Although the dis order tonight was of a nature to cause little apprehension Governor Stuart will not call out the militia except in case of dire need.
 The 5000 state troops are being held Tn readiness for an instant call, but the fear Is that open warfare with carnival Of slaughter would follow the influx or an army into the affected zone.
 Hot heads among the laboring men were nearly responsible for an outbreak which would have sprecipitated a battle between 1500 policemen and the union strikers. When Mayor Rayburn's procla- nation was made known prohibiting the mass .meeting the radicals made fiery speeches denouncing the action ana urging that the meeting be held in de- fiance of the city. Cooler heads pre- Nalleu, put tHSst Stiut QdiihB iNNS' S infamed by their unsuccess in the aft ernoon, continued in their efforts to stir up trouble
 Street cars were stoned. windows were smashed, tracks were blockaded and strike breakers roughly handled. Serious Situation Picture the situation--the city stagnated by railway strike and traffic at a stand still; the streets janmed with more than "a, 600 workmen, many of whom bore their weeks pay in their pockets while all labored under the greatest excitement At labor Lyceum hall, where the men gath cred following the parade, there was a great deal of uproar tonight. Represen- tatives of the 1o,0D striking street car employees in speeches called upon every labor union in the city to force out it's employees.
 ''The life of union labor is at stake, v said C. o. Pratt, who is directing the street railway men to strike.
 If we fail now the backbone of union- ism is broken. The men must not fail they cannot fail.''
 J. J. Murphy of the Central Federated union, who is under bonds, charged with melting riot, called upon the men to stand firm.
 Director of Public. Safety Clay tonight admitted that the situation Is about as serious as 1t could be without real nght- ing However, Mir. Clay said that he was positive that no more than SO,0Oo men were striking He said canvass of the mills today showed this. The committee of ten, which is hand ling the sympathetic strike. spent today laying plans which they started to put into effect tonight. Scores of delegates were sent to the various locals whose men are striking in sympathy
 Director Clay. anticipating trouble in the Kensington mill district, placed mounted and foot police at strategic points to handle rioters.
 Sunday will find Philadelphia trouble ridden city, Indeed. and on Monday the whirr and hum of the wheels will be miss