The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-04-21
Break Agreement With
the Street Car Workers
and Trouble Still On.
Philadelphia Company
Determined to Fight
the Union and Free
dom and Justice to the
Bitter End.

Another glaring instance OF ihc man
ner in which corporations can, without
the slightest compunction whatever, break
their word given in good faith, when con
venience suits them to do 80, is at hand
Philadelphia presents to US this time the
evidence that the word of big CORPORA
tion, whether on paper or verbally given.
is of absolutely no value; fo- it ls given
by men who have become SO sunken in
perfidy that they have lost all consider
alton for the views of their fellowmen
After a battle lasting for two months,
the traction company made overtures to
the representatives of the men on strike.
order to show their good faith, made
haste to meet the representatives of the
company in order to join with them and
relieve the city of the situationNtiat has
made it a byword and mockory in the
mouths of visitors.
With every desire on the part Of the
men to meet the company ON common
Gus points of disagreement, without tho
slightest idea that the company would
act otherwise than in the best of faith
the strikers committee reported Lack to
tehir fcllowmembers the terms upon
which the company would settle and i'm
mediately the men voted upon the propo-
sition.
Everything was done on the strikers ,
part to start the various traction lines
of the city back upon their former sched-
ules 1t was understood that they were
to be given their old places back again.
But, what was their CONSERVATION when
they applied for their runs to have the
foreman to tell them that they would
have to report at the employment office,
at Sth and Dauphin streets, and make ou-
applications for jobs This meant thai
they could only go back to work for the
company new men.
In short, it was a case OF rcpuuiatinG
the agreement entered into with the men
before it was put into operation. That
the men will resent this goes without say
ing, and from the present Indications
there is every reason to believe that the
long drawn out fight will he fought all
w Il le IIcIl nave pctoflc eHlull-
tered by the rascally actions of the com
pany all through the strike and this lat
est move cannot be calculated to raise it
in the estimation of the men.
It is plainly seen by the men that the
Transit company is determined to break
up the union, and it is resorting to any
an dali means to accomplish that end. Its
oof IN off to h Z,
men were back to work in ceiling them
that they must go to the office and hire
out as new men, has killed the hope Of
the men in the company ent;,ely
1t is aonther example of the worthless
ness of contracts, it is SAID, especially
when to break them is to the interest Of
the big corporations to do so. The pres
ent action of the Rapid Transit company
in breaking its contract with trc men has
done more than a ton of literature to
teach the street car men of Philadelphia
that there is war on between the class
that owns and the class that produces ana
that there will be no peace between the
two conflicting forces until the working
class awakens and abolishes this conflict
by abolishing the wage system upon
which it is based.
This is the feeling that is ,aking hold
of the Philadelphia workers and the So
cialists of the city have taken advantage
of every opportunity to teach the stri&-
ers this truth.
It is quite probable that the light Will
continue for some time yet, although the
representatives of both sides are trying
,, to bring about a settlement.
It is said there are abou. 1900 mer
whom the company wants - get md of
, but the rest of the men say that they will
not go back to work until all go hack.