The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-05
WAR TO DEATH
IS NOW THE CRY
IN PHILADELPHIA
Strikers and Company Align
Forces for Battle
Royal
RIOT ACT PROCLAIMED
BY MAYOR REYBURN
City Practically Under Martial
Law-Labor Leaders Claim
125,000 Men Are Out and
Movement Growing.

Il PHILADELPHIA, March with
an fndeterminate number of men,
4 yariously estimated at from 10000 to
$4,000 out OF work in obedience to
call for a general strike In SYM
patily for the striking street car men.
the City OF Brothefly Love to-day
faces one of the most serious labor
wars ever waged In an American
3 Commonwealth.
Each side is loud In prociaiming
victory, though victory mas yet perch
I'd on no ones shoulders. No tangi-
Bile efforts have been made to settle
the dispute. 1t is TO be a battle
royal; a battle to the death.
An effort Will be made at O'Clock
this afternoon In Independence Square
In the shadow OF the home American
Liberty, to chow the strength VI or
xnnized labor In Philadelphia. Mayor
Keybura has proclaimed the riot
act In force and ordered the police
TO break UP the proposed meeting by
force, IL Necessary. Despite this order
the strike Leaders have refused 10 call
on the meeting. Trouble is feared.
Al this meeting. Ii II Is allowed to
take place. an invitation Will be eN-
tended 10 every worklagman In Phil
adelphta To enroll himself In the
esiHsa Ut usft1fftsFfi the gauntlet has
leaders are seeking 10 recruit their
forces to the utmost before the bat
tie follows the initial sisirFntsh.
Many Thousands die.
Union ie~Gers declare they have as
many as 1875. oo0 men iGle as q re-
Snl ~ tsfe general strike order CEtY
authuH: Is and police officials coneeds
thar 4B men have ceased work.
Conservative estimates placed the
number eat 1T noon to-day at $1,000,
aid declared this MAS a liberal esti-
mate. other outside sources nix the
numhsr at 70,oee, To secure an exact
eattfnafe Is impossible.
There are 400 locals Of trades
unions in Pisisadelphta. $50 OF which
are not affiliated with the Central
Labor Union. which called the gem
eral strike Each union has an In
9is.Gual secretary and these 400 secre-
tarses are the only men who have
accurate figures They have not all
reported to labor headquarters
Business hrs not yet been paraiyzed
n the extent promised by the labor
leaders. Though II Is admitted that
Philadelphia business men viii lose
between S2.0Go 0es and 80. 980. oD1
every day the general strike con
tinues.
Only one disturbance was reported
np &c noon. Six negro policemen were
stoned In front of the car barns at
Thirty-sixt and Market streets. They
relieved six white officers. who mad
had no trouble riot call was
sounded and the mob fed. No arrests
were made and no shots fired,
Riots Expected.
Trouble Is feared this afternoon and
tonight. especially In Kensington and
the other suburbs. where union labor
IL strongest. Strong details Of heav-
lily armed policemen are ON guard
there.
The Philadelphia Rapid Transit
Company to-day reports that II has In
operation 936 cars. and that II will
Arn them until / O'Clock Sunday
SsEnorning 30 car has be- stacked
day. but attacks are expected to-
hight The failure of the uniens to
Eet out the ffremen and engineers In
Nae power plants and thus shut off
e he motive power fer the operation
of ears Was severe blow TO the strik-
ers.
Mayor Reyburn to-day declared the
labor unions made a grave mistake in
calling the general strike. He does
not think they can win. and declares
ne has issued orders that disorder
| ehall be quelled with an iron hand.
The riot art In to be enforced, so
that practically martial law. without
| Its usual severity, exists. Saloons are
k,htilf open. but may be closed tonight.
Secretary Charles A. Hope. OF the
central Labor Union. declares he has
| rures which show 10000 men are
ont. and that he Is confident complete
returns will show 125.000 out OF the
10000, he says $4,000 are unfonists
ana 1900 unorganized. He says Zoe
unions AFFILIATED with Central Labor
yynion and many independent unions
have gone out. The labor leaders are
preparing 10 pay strike dement's
Il fhnasgh they do not begin for two
weeks after the calling OF strike. IT
will cost 800, zoo weekly to pay strike
| benefits,
MIX, bakery and grocery wagons
| made their usual deliveries this
morning. Then their drivers struck,
according 10 the strike leaders, the
cabmen and chauffeurs are out. ana
Il Ii almost impossible to secure
vehicles,
Strike Call obsycd.
The building trades. numbering sew
oral thousand men, have gone out
" 4 unit and building operations
have ceesed, Union aar.enders quit
work, but non-union men took their
places II u reported that all union
clothing cutters are out,
Union men employed about the
citys water works and electric light
tnE plants have been ordered by union
ofiicials to remain at work,
Baldwtu's Locomotive Works,
Briips Car Works and Cramps Ship
Yards, three OF the largest concerns
IN ths country, are moi SO seriously
affected, employing few union men.
I'M Leaders of tho textile unions de-
clare IL, 900 men ara out now or
will be put before night in their
kredes The, United Hebrew Trades,
II With 5000 members, the largest
uni0n organisation in Philadelphia,
teaorfs tsplendid obedience" to the
i9&naral strike nrder:
Iha strike Leaders declare they are
1eosivtnG from All sections Of the
ls0nlinAed "A ssccnd Psse.l