Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-03-04
CAR STRIKE AWAITS
ACTION Of COUNCIL
ON A SETTLEMENT
lust What Philadelphia Coun-
Gil May Be Able to Accom-
pIiSh Is a Matter of SpecuIa-
ton as Yet
MAYOR is OPPOSED
TO PLAN OF ARBITRATION


PHILADELPHIA, March S.-Mayor
Reyburn will recommend to the city
council this afternoon that no action
be taken I'm the trolley strike, and will
call attention to an old law that will
permit the courts to handle the situa-
ton.
All Philadelphia today awaited with
anxiety the outcome of the
meeting of city council this
afternoon TO discuss ways and means
of bringing about a termination of the
street car strike which has been sitting
business here for the last - days. Just
what the council might be able to ac-
complish, i'm view of the mayors SEEM
ingly unalterable stand against arbitra-
ton of any character, was promlematic.
Arbitration has been secuted by the
Philadelphia Rapid Transit company Of
ficials, the city representatives on the
board of directors Of the company and,
in fact. by practically all persons who
are in an official capacity with the Rapid
Transit company.
The step taken at the meeting of the
local labor union when that body made
final preparations to carry the threaten
ed sympathetic strike order into execu-
ton, was discounted by the company,
which processes that only a small per
cent of the 100000 or more of union
workers would obey the strike order at
midnight Friday.
At a conference last night between the
business mems representatives and Clar-
ence o. Pratt, organizer of the Amalga-
mated Association of Electric Employees,
Mr.. Pratt said that he favored arbitra-
ton and would be willing to do almost
anything in his power to prevent a sym
pathetic strike.
SUGGESTS A PLAN.
He suggested that the business men
name an arbitrator, the Rapid Transit
company name one, and that these two
men select a third. not necessarily a
member of the Street Car Mems union.
But from the position assumed by the
company, this proposition appeared to
stand veg tTsaae sseeg % even being con-
ESazuzA
T0n neEe CO. ses Ess=s1 Against any
zteTfWexes - outside persons that he
let II be known he would risk an cpen
rupture with the Republican organization
rather than give in to the men. He af-
firmed his only duty as chief executive
of the city so far as the strike was con-
cerned, was to maintain order His posi-
ton OF representative of the city on the
transit company board OF directors is ex-
officlo and not elective, the other two
city directors being elected by council.
The mayor said he was, therefore, not
bound by any resolution adopted by
councils.
MAYOR is INDIFFERENT
That the mayor was Indifferent over
the prospect of a break with the political
leaders was shown in a statement he
made in answer to a question as to the
result of a certain political conference
held yesterday. He said:
They wanted me to change and told
me they were getting orders from the
politicians in Florida, and that 1 was
committing political suicide If l did not
change. l told them didn't care about
State Senator McNichol. Recorder Yer
Ware, or Senator Penrose, or anybody
else, or whether | was committing politi-
cal suicide or not; that 1 was going to
stand just where 1 was, no matter what
the result"
An extra detail of policemen was or
dered on duty at the city hall to prevent
the friends OF arbitration from storming
the council chambers, as was done in
1905, when a monster demonstration was
made against the obnoxious lease of the
city gas works.
STRIKERS RETURN TO WORK.
SOUTH BETHLEHEM, Pa, March g.
More men returned to work today at
the Bethlehem steel works than at any
time since the violent outbreak of the
foreign strikers last Friday. The company
expected to steadily increase its force
Picketing by the strikers is still on, how
ever, and the leaders OF the strikers
are not letting up in efforts to keep the
great plant closed down. Two compa-
mics Of state police and 100 deputy sher-