Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-10
Given Philadelphia Strike
By Unex expected Support
State Federation Threatens 10
Make the Strike National.
Men at Baldwin Locomotive Plant
Join Strikers..Everything Quiet.

Philadelphia, March S.-PromlSe OF
help from without and development OF
strength in it's own field, which APP
pcared to take even it's most confident
leaders by surprise, injected new life
into the Philadelphia general sympa-
thetic strike movement today A labor
campaign impetus today from the ac-
ton of the State Federation OF Labor
convention in Newcastle in declaring
that the statewide and even a nation
wide up of industry would not be
TOO great a price to pay II necessary
to insure success to the local cause.
Added to this came the revelation that
the sympathetic union labor movement
was strong enough to invade what was
supposed 10 be a secure citadel OF the
opposing forces and open an admitted
II wide breach.
The success of the strike leaders in
inducing something over 1000 employees
of the Baldwin Locomotive Works to
walk out today, following the early
morning desertion of possibly as many
more. was the most striking develop
ment of the day in the local situation.
This alone was enough to cause the
committee of 10, in charge of the gen.
eral strike, to regard this as their most
successful day Their claim that near
" 5000 men of the Baldwin plant. which
is an open shop and had hitherto re-
sisted strike pressure, was by no
means admitted by the company man
acement, which cut the figure more
than half.
The committee of 10 tonight issued its
first detailed list Of the men who they
say are now on strike. The total
claimed is 1851, which does not in
clude, the statement says, several thou-
sands who We're forced to stop work
in plants where there were Walk-outs.
Figures are given for only a few OF
the Individual plants affected, includ-
ing the Baldwin Locomotive WORKS.
There tie committee claims 5000 men
are out.
To the threat of a countrywide
strike. if the local traction heads dld
not agree to arbitration with their
men, the officials of the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit Co. made curt response,
announcing that it had said its last
word on arbitration and that if the
widespread strike depended on it's
yielding to the arbitration demand the
firms announced that their hands We're
returning to work and others announc-
cd that they were content to wait and
let time work for them.
Possible trouble was indicated by the
announcement of the strikers COM
mittee that it would hold an open air
mass-m meeting in the National League
Baseball park tomorrow noon. The
police authorities declared that the
meeting would not be permitted. but
following this declaration the men re-
iterated their intention of holding 1t
as scheduled, claiming the right OF
peaceful assemblage and exercise OF
free speech at a meeting on enclosed
nrivate nropertv as within their con-
stitutional rights. Results OF the lndl-
Gated clash are awaited with some lit
tie trepidation. The strikers declare
their meeting will be orderly, however,
and that there will be no just cause for
interference.
The day was without disturbances
of consequence and up to late hour
tonight the only outbreak had been
minor disturbance or two in the Ken
sington shop district. No one was re-
ported injured.
The street car company slightly IN
creased the number Of cars in service
and the lines in the business and resi-
dence district were apparently more
largely patronized than on any day
since the strike began.
An important acquisition to the
ranks of the strikers was announced
tonight from Camden, n. j., where
1900 carpenters went out. About the
same number quit work at points along
the Pennsylvania Railroads main line
and union men declared that nearly
$500 more carpenters would be called
out in Montgomery county. next ad-
jacent to Philadelphia, tomorrow. In
the business districts of the city today
there We're no signs of the strike To
all appearance the usual work of the
community went on undisturbed
Philadelphia, March 9.-Despite the
excitement made by the shooting up"
of Frankfort avenue. one of the prn-
cipal thoroughfares in the northeast
orn section Of the city, late last night
by trolley carload Of alleged St
Louis strikebreakers, there were no
serious demonstrations against the
tIplleE cars III operation early To-Day.
c. o. Pratt, the organizer of the car
men, this morning denounced the af-
fair in Frankfort. as a result Of which
three men and a 14-year-old girl are
in hospital, suffering from slight
bullet wounds received when the
crowd Of trolley men shot from
swiftly moving car into the crowd. He
said It was the usual last resort of
the desperate strikebreakers who. find
ing everything quiet, shoots up q
town to create trouble.
Although many lines We're again
running today without any sign of
trouble, much apprehension was felt
as to the outcome of the feeling stirred
up by last nights attack in Frank
ford. The police are Investigating and
ere trying to fix the blame for the
reckless gun play. 1t is alleged that
the strikebreakers on learning that
ore Of their number had been injured
by stone thrown while he was oper-
ating a car, decided to get revenge
and took out car without the pernnis-