Evening star., 1916-09-20
Mayor Mitchell win Appeal to
Railways Head to Avoid
General Walkout.
ALL OTHER EFFORTS FAIL
TO HALT PROPOSED ORDER
Samuel Gompers to Attend Meeting
Between Business Interests and
Labor Leaders Tomorrow.

NEW YORK, September 20.-An other
efforts to prevent the threatened gen.
eral strike Of 100000 trade unionists in
sympathy with the striking carmen
having thus far failed. Mayor Mitchell
decided today to make a personal ap.
peal to Theodore P. Shonts, president of
the Interborough Rapid Transit Com
pany and the New York street railways,
to recede from his reiterated intention
of refusing to deal with the strikers
Mr.. Shonts' position-necessary, the
traction head says. because of a threat
to strike by local employees in the event
of recognition of the unions-balked
the attempt of the public service COM
mission and citizens committee to
bring about an amicable adjustment
Conference Set for Today.
Although there appeared little hope
Of change in the traction compa MES
policy, the mayor arranged for a con-
ference with Mr.. Shonts later today. The
mayor, it was learned from an official
source, expects to propose a basis of
settlement that he hopes may enable
the Interborough and the New York
railways to retire gracefully from
their position and permit the resump
tion of negotiations that will avert the
impending general walkeut.
Details of the mayors plan could not
be learned. Mr.. Shonts accepted the
mayors invitation on condition that
representatives of the strikers should
not be present.
Union leaders have promised to with
hold their order for a sympathetic
ct i1r
meantime the city authorities and bust
ness men will endeavor to find some
way to prevent an extension of the Ia
Dor war, which threatens to tie up a
considerable part of the citys indus
tries.
Gompers Asked to Attend.
With the arrival here today of Sam
uel Gompers. president of the Ameri-
can FEDERATION of Labor. to attend the
funeral of Seth Low. it was learned
that the business interests which are
endeavoring to avert a sympathetic
strike had invited Mr.. Gompers to at
tend the meeting with labor leaders to-
morrow.
1t was indicated by the union men
that Mr.. Gompers planned to take more
than ordinary interest in the situation
Mr. Gornpers accepted the invita- ton after
TAKING win union leaders.
During the forenoon attacks on sur
face cars continued intermfttentIy. The
last twenty-four hours have witnessed
the most extended disturbances of the
strike, police reports today showing
the arrests of twenty men declared to
are accused of felony in attacks on
trains and cars.
Rioting Throughout City.
The attempt TO operate surface cars
last night resulted in the worst riotiny
since the strike began. but the officials
of the transit companies say the service
in the day time is improving steadily.
Throughout the night elevated trains,
together with subway trains, at points
where they run on elevated structures
were subjected to almost ceaseless bonn
bardments of bottles and bricks. car
windows being shattered and a number
of passengers injured.
The most serious rioting occurred in
various sections of Manhattan, when al
tempts were made to run cars on the
42d and 59th street crosstown surface
lines Mob of strikers and their SYM
pathiZers stormed two carbarns over
powering the police and putting to flisht
all railway employees in the vicinities
Several motormen and conductors
who had not Joined the strike were
beaten Mucn properly DANA Se had
been done before police reserves ar
rived.
Several Attacks at Same Time.
The police assert that the strikers
took advantage of the fact that many
policemen were detailed to polling
booths in yesterdays primary election
here. The strikers apparently planned
their attacks, it was said. as disorders
occurred In many places at the same
time.
At 42d street and Broadway, one of
the busiest spots in the city, great
crowd bombarded a car with stones
they had gathered from subway exca-
walton.
Numerous arrests were made. and
many of the rioters were dubbed by
the police: Several passengers were
hurt by missiles.
The strikers also attacked the eIe
waited trains with bottles and bricks
from housetops. Policemen then were
stationed on the roofs along eieya ted
routes.