The Washington herald., 1917-03-12
UNANIMOUS FOR STRIKE.

AS the men hled into the lyceum
Theater this morning they were
urged ito stick" and every indica-
tion was that the strike vote would
be by acclamation.
Two of the District Commission
ers were among those said to be in
the mass meeting of employees and
it was asserted that they might sd-
dress the meeting before the strike
vote was taken. II was asserted BY
others that their purpose was merely
to keep themselves acquainted with
the conditions.
The last proposition Of the men wss
that Samuel Gompers, president Of ne
American Federation Of Labor reprsssnt
them In the arbitration prooeedtnGx the
company TO name its own sroitrstor and
the third member Of the body 70 Be Pres-
ident wiIsoa. = CO..
-It.was russhsr preyidsd thss the som
pany cease issuing Individual contracts
to the employees. retnstats those men al-
ready discharged and the men would
continue the existing contract for %
days.
President Teo Bssy.
That President Wilson would not ae-
cept the position, a. arbitrator. even II
offered him seemed assured He N under
great mental strain and overworNed by
the international crisis and the general
opinion was that he would name the
third member OF the board to represent
him, IL both parties agreed. q
As the men filed into the theater there
was gathering OF strikebreakers in
front Of the theater and q few Of the more
daring went into the lobby. Union men
were instructed by all the officials to
avoid trouble.
Der OF policemen on duty In and about
the building to check any demonstration
or trouble when the strike vote was or
dered.
Before the meeting was called, the men
sang and gave every indication OF con-
fdence. When the meeting was called
to order the lobbies Of the theatsr were
cleared and only those who could pass
Gordon OF six union officials were admit
ted to the building.
solution No Nearer
day of conferences and exchange Of
letters brought the differences between
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company officials and the employees OF the
railroad no nearer a permanent solution
Clarence p. King. president OF the com
pany. sent fiat refusal TO union head
quarters to meet with a delegation of the
employees and treat with them as repre-
sentatives OF the amalgamated employees.
He later rejected an offer Of arbitration
made by the District Commissioners in
which IT was pointed out that a strike
at this time might be fraught with seri-
Gus consequences for the entire republic
Up to the last the District Commission
ers were hopeful that their efforts for
mediation would be accepted by the com
pany.
While these negotiations were going on
an army OF strikebreakers was being
rushed TO the Capital to man the cars in
the event OF a walk-out
At the Mount Vernon Hotel, Howard
House and the New Varnum and the
hotels on lower Pennsylvania avenue the
strfkebreakers were being housed. AMI
last night II was declared by their lead
ers that 80 skilled operatives were In the
city prepared to run the cars until the
strike Is won by the company.
Last night ta1icab companies were
mobilizing all machines for service on the
lines which will be affected by the strike
Several hundred ''jitneys" will be in oper-
alton within twenty-four hours II the
strike appears to be of long duration
CoS7TNT-En oS PACE roru