Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-21
GENERAL STRIKE
IN new YORK NOW
SEEMS PROBABLE
Men Most Directly Concerned
Think Situation Has Now
Reached an Absolute
Deadlock.
MANY CARS ARE ATTACKED
Windows Broken by Missiles
Hurled from Roofs and Sew
cral Passengers Injured. n
TWENTY MEN ARRESTED

New York, Sept. 20.--Despite the
attempted intervention of commit
tee of business men, there seemed to
be little prospect today OF averting
general strike in sympathy with the
street railway employees. Labor lead
ers aver that the proposed general
walk-out will involve about 100000
workers in all trades.
All other efforts having thus far fail
ed, Mayor Mitchell decided today to
make a personal appeal to Theodore
P. Shonts, president of the Inter-
borough Rapid Transit company, and
the New York Street Railways to re-
cede from his reiterated intention OF
refusing to deal with the strikefs.
Position of Mr.. Shonts.
Mr.. Shonts' position necessary, the
traction head says, because of threat
to strike by loyal employees in the
event of recognition of the unions
baked the attempt Of the public SER
vice commission and citizens COM
mittee to bring about an amicable adj
justment.
Although there appeared little
hope OF change in the traction COM
pany's policy, the mayor arranged for
a conference with Mr.. Shonts later to-
day. The mayor, it was learned from
All official source, expects to propose
a new basis OF settlement to avert the
impending general walkout.
Union leaders have promised to
withhold their order for sympathet-
ic strike until after Thursday, and in
the meantime the city authorities and
business men will endeavor to find
some way to prevent an extension OF
the labor war which threatens to tie
up considerable part of the city's
industries.
Rioting Becomes Serious.
The attempt to operate surface
cars last night resulted in the worst
rioting since the strike began, but
/ the officials OF the transit companies,
say the service in the daytime is in-
proving steadily. Throughout the
night elevated trains, together with
subway trains at points where they
run on elevated structures, were sub
jected to almos. ceaseless lombard
ments Of bottles and bricks, car win
dows being shattered and . number
Of passengers injured.
| Today there were several attacks
by strikers and synpathizers on sur
face cars and police reserves were
repeatedly called out.
Ask Gompers to Conference.
| With the arrival here today Of
Samuel Gompers, president OF the
American 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 attend their meeting with
labor leaders tomorrow. 1t was in
dicated by the union men that Mr..
Gompers planned to take more than
ordinary interest in the situation. Mr..
Gompers held his acceptance Of the
invitation in allegiance pending talks
with union leaders.
| Surface Cars Attacked.
During the forenoon attacks on
surface cars continued intermittently.
The last twenty-four hours have
witnessed the most extended disturb
ances OF the strike, police reports to-
day showing the arrests of twenty
men declared to be former employees.
Fifteen of these are accused of felony
in attacks on trains and cars.
Two Car Barns Attacked.
New York, Sept. lo.-The most
serious rioting since the transit strike
in this city began two weeks ago oc-
CURED tonight In various sections Of
Manhattan when attempts were made
to run cars on the Forty-second and
Fifty-ninth street crosstown surface
lines. Mobs of strikers and their
sympathizers stormed two car barns,
overpowering the police and putting
to flight all railway employees in the
vicinity.
Several motormen and conductors
who had not joined the strike were
beaten. Much property damage had
been done before police reserves ar
/ rived
At Forty-second street and Broad
way, one Of the busiest spots in the
city, a great crowd bombarded a car
. with stones they had gathered from
subway excavation.