Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-01
DEMANDS MADE OF
TRACTION COMPANY
\ TO EMO STRIKE
Business Interests OF City Clam
oring for Immediate End
of Trouble.
CITY OFFICIALS PREPARE
TO FACE GENERAL STRIKE
Mayor Ready to Draft Every
Able-Bodied Philadelphian as
Special Policeman.

PHILADELPHIA, March 1.-PoWer-
full Influences are being brought to bear
upon the Philadelphia Rapid Transit
Company to bring. an end to the strike
The big department stores, which have
suffered from the strike along With the
thousands of other business houses, are
known to have taken determined
staff1vin the present situation, and have
told the transit company that they will
not take a chance of having the city
involved in a great general labor strug-
gle.
A conference is being held in the.
offices of the company, at which are
present charles o. Kruger, president of
the company: state Senator Clarence
Wolf, vice-president; George III. Earl,
jr., the city's representative on the
board Of directors. and Richard Y.
Cook, prominent financier.
There is a general appeal for arbi-
tration today. Newspapers demand it;
various organizations are clamoring for
it, and citizens generally are calling
for an end of the trouble at once.
Important developments are looked
forduring the day.
Thus far there has. come no intima-
tion from the Rapid Transit Company
that it will in any way heed these de-
mands for arbitration. The company
began the day fully determined to
demonstrate its ability to operate it's
cars without the assistance of the
striking motormen and conductors and
increased the number of cars in op-
Z Grafton.
The company still declares that
no settlement involving recognition
Of the Garments union will be consid-
cred and it reiterates that arbitration
is not needed to settle the strike. The
officials are turning deaf ears to the
. many pleas that they reach an agree
n1ent with the striking men-before the
labor unions put their general strike
into effect.
Both. the labor leaders and the city
administration are preparing their
lines for the expected demonstration.
Director of Public Safety Clay, in an
interview today, said he did not re-
gard the proposed sympathetic strike
AS bluff" and told of plans for in
creasing the police force in anticipation
of further trouble.
He said: 'Under the act of May 81,
1850, the mayor has power to draft
every able-bodied man in Philadelphia
for service in protecting life and prop
cray He can swear in special police
men indefinitely. expect to have lists
prepared of all citizens who are of age
and fit for such service.
1--WE do not mean to call for the Ma
tiopal Guard until we have exhausted
every power at our command. | have
at my service still 1000 men, who were
among the 1000 summoned for special
duty a week ago, who can be sworn in
at any moment for police duty in pni-
form We have made arrangements to-
add 150 to 200 men to the mounted force
today. They will take the places of the
State police in case they should be sum-
moned to South Bethlehem on account
of the strike there getting beyond con-
troll"
The labor unions having decided on a
general strike unless the city takes
some step to force the company to arbi-
trate, the sessions of select and common
councils on Thursday afternoon are
looked forward to with interest. 1t Is
considered almost certain that some
member viii bring forth an arbitration
resolution, but whether the political or
ranjzation in control will agree to take
action cannot be predicted.
State Senator James P. McNichol
the Republican leader of Phlladel-
phia and William S. Ware. who stands
next to him in leadership. are in
Florida, having left here with party
of friends before the strike began. 1t
Is believed that Senator McNichql
could end the strike if he cared to in
terfere.
The several locals of the Brotherhood
of Painters and Decorators have in
doreed the general strike order, and all
paiiaters connected with Nthe organiza-
tion are instructed to stop work Satur
day morning unless the strike is settled
by arbitration. f
fAnother death due to the strike oe-
CURED last night. when Benjann Glib
son, a negro, died in the Douglas Hos
knital This brings the number of dead
~ errestilt Of the strike up to six.