The Washington herald., 1917-03-26
FEAR VIOLENCE PLOT
BY STRIKING CARMEN
w R & E. Officials Plan to Seek In
junction. Is Rumor.

The street railway strike probably will
find its way into the District Supreme
Court this week,
| II was runiored last night that the
strike would be accompanied by violence
surfing the next several days. to curb
which. It Is understood, the Washington
Railway and Electric Company will file
injunction proceedings against the Anal
gamated Association of Street and Elec-
trio Railway Employees
Considerable significance Is being at
tached to the remarks made Saturday by
Edward McMorrow, national organizer.
when he declared: THE fight has just
begun and ! have been holding my men
in check. but I am afraid that ! can't
do 1t much longer because Of the oppres-
| SION Of the company"
| He denied that he intimated that the
strikers would resort to force, but It is
pointed out that with the present dead
lock OF negotiations between the strik-
ing employees and the company the latter
has the better OF the controversy and OF
| the union unless other tactics are re-
sorted to.
1t was declared that the unions policy
OF peace and watchful waiting will not
net the strikers anything. because OF
which rumors are persistent that advan-
tage will be taken. wherever possible. to
interfere with the operating Of the COM
pany's cars.
The Washington Railway and Electric
Company suffered considerable incon-
venience during the first days OF the
strike by the stuf1ng OF slots in the
tracks and other acts which tied ur
trafic, and 1t is understood that the COM
pany Is ready to take every legal action
to prevent a recurrence of this violence
While 1t is not known what the COM
pany's next step will be In the event OF
renewed disturbances. 1t was rumored
would be injunction proceedings. Such
a procedure, 1t is said. would also in a
measure bring the controversy to some
definite end.
| II the court should grant a preliminary
injunction, such a decree would act as
a stay of any disturbances until the case
could be heard Should there be an!
violence In the interim. the strikers could
be called into court for contempt
| Should the injunction be made perma
nent. It would. in a large sense. mean
victory for the company. because the lat
ter could then operate its cars with en-.
tire security.
With the ending Of the second week OF
the strike, both sides Of the dispute ex.
press satisfaction over the situation. The
| railway heads contend that normal sched.
ules have been resumed. while. on the
other hand. union officials maintain thai
nothing like regular service is afforded
the public.
William NICK. Clayton. chairman oi
the public utilities committee Of theEFed.
eration of Citizens Associations. sent
letters to President Clarence P. King. oi
the railway company, and George A. WI.
burt, president OF the strikers union
asking them if they were ready to sub
NIT the issues to arbitration. The letters
| were written in pursuance of actor
| taken by the federation.
! Mr.. wilburt yesterday replied that the
union was always ready to submit tc
arbitration. While no official announce
ment was made of Mr.. Kings reply, II
Is believed that he will again reiterate
the former position Of the company, thai
recognition OF the union is not a matter
for arbitration.
A campaign for Congressional action
to settle the strike has been taken by
the strikers More than 5000 blank
petitions to Congress have been sent out
from headquarters to different labor and
civic organizations urging support of the
union cause.