The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-02-28

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., go. 1o.-
Union labor in this city voted last
night to back up the striking motor
men and conductors In their fight
against the Philadelphia Rapid Trans
it Company. The Central Labor
Union, after a secret meeting of 600
delegates, voted for a general strike,
to go into effect next Saturday One
hundred and forty unions were rep
resented in the meeting. with claim
ed membership of 100000.
The decision of the union leaders
followed a day of almost continuous
rioting, in which man and boy were
killed and sixty persons We're hurt.
The trouble spread over the southeast
ern section o. the city and flared up
generally wherever police protection
was Inadequate. 1t was one Ct the
worst days philadelphia has suffered
since the employees Of the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit walked out.
The order for general sympathetic
strike was determined on as the only
means to force the Rapid Transit COM
pany to arbitrate with it's men. The
heads of unions allied with the Anal
gamated Carmen declared frankly
that their principal purpose was to
) make the company give in. Their
reason for postponing the strike until
next Saturday was that the company
may be forced by public opinion to
agree to arbitration. In that event
the general strike order will be re.
scinded.
The action Of the Central Labor
Union puts it up to the individual
unions to vote whether they want to
strike. AS a matter of fact, most Of
them have voted already to go out
1t is not believed by any means that
all of the union laborers included in
the membership of the affiliated
unions will quit, even if the Philadel
phia Rapid Transit refuses to be in
fuened. brt the situation is suf
fieiently alarming to citizens who are
wearied Of the incessant violence and
the consequent discredit brought upon
the city.
The danger lies in this, that the
striking carmen will have the active
help Of perhaps 100000 idle men, a
restless, dissatisfied force, that may
produce far more disorder than the
city has yet seen. The resumption OF
rioting Sunday was caused largely by
tie certainty that a general strike
order would be the result of the labor
irry Ia +, ,,rncnpnf nj
powerful aid made the strikers and
their sympathizers more dangerous
than they have been at any time
since the state constables appeared in
the city.
Today efforts will be renewed tc
persuade the Rapid Transit Company
to modify its attitude and to agree, a.
least, to arbitrate all differences thai
may properly arise between employer
and employe, that is, to the question
OF pay, hours of work and one or two
minor differences. The clergymen o.
the city will renew their offers ant
the matter will be taken up by al
association of business men
1t became known last night thai
the Rapid Transit Company nearly
agreed to the plan the clergymen pro
posed on Friday last for board o.
arbitration, to consist of seven rep
resentative citizens. 1t las. SO neal
indeed, that a statement agreeing te
the plan had been drawn up and was
awaiting signatures. President Krug
or was for it; so was Vice President
Wolf; the Wideners had agreed that
It was the course that see ned wisest
and General Counsel Ballard and
Mayor Reyburn had given their ap
prevail But one man interviewed
George II. Earle, one of the city's rep
resentatives on the board of directors
insisted on fighting it out and made
his stand so determinedlv that the
< rest of the directors gave in.
The decision to call the strike was
set forth in the following preamble
and resolution.
Whereas, The citizens Of Philadel
phia, through their representatives II
council, have entered into partner
ship with the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Company by the terms O
which the city has an important in
terest In the financial management o.
the company; and
Whereas, The city of Philadelphia
IS represented upon the board of direc
tors OF the said company by John Z