The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-03-01
ARBITRATION DEMANDED BY
 MERCHANTS
Retail Dealers of Philadel- phia, Representing Mil lions, Make Urgent Appeal to Trolley Directors
Business Men Claim Strike Has Already Cost City $2,5OO,O0o and Company Is to Blame.
Especial from United Press.) )

| Especial from United Press) | Philadelphia, March Powerful in terests are today exerting all their i'm
 fluence to force the Philadelphia Papid l Transit Company to arbitrate it's diff l ferences with the striking street car
 n1en and thus avert the threatened stfike of all the unions in the city. It l is believed these interests will accom- plish their mission.
 In the face of all the pressure that sbeing brought to bear, the rapid transit company declares positively it will not consent to arbitration. Signi- fcantly contained with this declars- tion was the act of Director of Public Safety Clay in swearing in 200 more l mounted policemen and 200 more foot event of a general strike he will, uT1- der a law of 1850, swear in every able bodied man in Philadelphia for police duty.
 It is not believed Philadelphia. busi- | ness men will allow the present strike to continue or general strike to be- gin. They are losing too much mon ey. The strike has cost Philadelphia a sum conServatively estimated to. be
 $2;500,000 and it is but Il. days old. A committee from the Retail Mer- chants Association, representing mil lions of dollars, will appear this after
 noon before the directors of the com
 pany and demand that arbitration be
 HSortha Tfst that the street eao ear conpany @ has
 no right to make every one else suf- fer because of it's unwillingness to
 the clergyrnen in the city have inter ested themselves in the movement
 while the Central Labor Union is se-
 curing signatures to monster petitions
 urging councils to act.
 It is runored today that if councils refuse to act Thursday the general
 strike will begin Friday morning in
 stead of waiting until Saturday after
 noon.
 The union men seem to realize the
 councils are their last hope. Union leaders will hold 8 secret meeting this
 afternoon to discuss this new date for calling the general strike.
 Philadelphia is not taking seriously the threat to call general strike. All the sentiment seems to be with the men who have offered to settle the strike by arbitration and against the company which has refused. It is be- lieved this very public sentiment, brought to a head at Thursdays meet ing. will force the traction company to yield. Workingnen are talking of a. monster street parade to end at the city hall for Thursday. Councils have not forgotten that other street parades and demonstration under the Weaver regime when rope nooses were hung during the vote on the gas question. The people are sure councils will act.
 Phila de1phia. March 1.-Postive as- surances on the one hand that pre- para tions are being made for a general strike of 100, 900 union men in Philadel- paia on Saturday together with equal 1y positive assurances on the other hand that this threatened strike is 3 huge 'Fbluff', mark the 11th day Of the street car strike.
 That the unions are preparing for the general strike there can be no doubt. That this general strike, however, will never be allowed to become a reality seems equally positive.
 While the Philadelphia Rapid Trans it Company refuses to talk of arb1-, tempting to force the officials to see the matter in a different light. There is a feeling of confidence in business circles today that an anicab1e adjust hours and thus prevent the threatened general walkout.
 No disorder occurred last night, the first that has passed without some kind of b1oodshed and rioting. Rain fell in sheets and thousands of persons who had been walking were compelled to use cars. The company declared to- day it operated nearly 60 per cent of it's normal number of cars. yesterday. Every newspaper in Philadelphia has joined in demanding that the officials of the company deal with the men.
 That the general strike will occur if the present strike is not ended, is as sured- Just how general it will be say union men, who fought for years to secure recognition of their unions in the various trades, will not their contracts by striking and facing an "open shopR when they return Union leaders say this state ment is unwarranted. The unions fear that unless they win the present strike it will take years for their cause to recover and their leaders say gen eraI strike order would be obeyed: