Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-12
STREET CARS ARE IDLE IN
 KANSAS CITY
People Walk and Jitney Cars Reap Harvest While Supreme Court and Men Demand Wage Increase.

Kansas City De- L. Street car service in Kansas City has been ab- solutely at a standstll for more than fifteen hours; many industrial plants have been forced to close and most of the residential sections of the city are without electric lights as re- suit of a strike of street car and power house employees.
 The men demand the increase in wages awarded them by the federal labor board, which was contingent upon the financial resources of the Kansas City Railways Company. The federal court recently refused to grant an njunction to permit the company to charge eight cents, and the street railway officials assert they are unable to meet the board s decree on the basis of the present six cent fare.
 The six cent fare issue is before the state supreme court, but a de- can charge six cents or be compelled to return to a five cent fare, is not expected before the end of this month.
 Mayor Cowgirl, in statement to- day, said the city would not recede from it's position of opposing an in 1 creased fare.
 The street car tie-up affects all of greater Kansas City and as the vari- ous suburbs are widely scattered, the effect of the strike on all kinds of business and industry is proving seri- ous.
 Charges by the street railway com pany that the union men had broken
 contract, were answered by Frank O'Shea. international vice president of the union.
 "At the conclusion of the street car strike last August" he said "a writ ten agreement between our union and 1 the street car company was made not to call strikes unless wage differences 1 first were submitted to arbitration. | That arbitration was by the national war labor board, which ordered more money, living wage, for Kansas City street car employees. The company has ignored that order. The car company should meet the award, re- gardess of the eight cent fare con- troversy."
 Interurban hines through Kansas City, Kas., were operating to that city and arranging for bus service t. the Missouri side, but it was said, no trains would operate between Kansas City and St. Joseph until the strike is settled or power can be secured. A plan was being considered today for the power house employees to re- turn to work with the understanding that the current would not be used for operating street cars.
 Kansas City's street railway sys- tenn was completely tied up this morning as result of a strike of car men and some of the power house employees, called at o'clock. No eff fort was made to run any cars dur ing the early rush hours. In addition, part of the residence district was without electric lights.
 At Leavenworth, Kansas, car o'clock this morning which not only stopped all city cars but tied up the
 Intferurban line Between Leaven- worth and Kansas City. The strike at Kansas City resulted from controversy over wages. The federal war labor board recently ruled an increase in the wage scale dependent, however on the financial ability of the Kansas City Railways company or the possibility of the company being able to charge an in- , creased fare. The federal court here refused recently to grant an injunc- tion which would permit the street car company from applying an eight cent fare and charging one cent for trans fers. Company officials say . the present six cent fare is not sufficient to justify the wage award. The situation at Leavenworth is said to be similar to that at Kansas City.
 There were no disorders this morn- 1 ing. Jitney cars handled part of the street car patrons while others were compelled to walk to work. | At noon today not street car had been started, even those cars used in hauling mail were not running. Presi- dent P. J. Kealy of the car company said he had no plans at present. He
 added, however that there might be a conference later in the day with the mayor and the head of the chamber of commerce.
 Mir. Kealy this morning telegraph
 ed w. D. Mahon, president of the
 Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees pro 1 testing against the action of the loca
 union, asserting that the walkou'
 was in violation of contract not tt
 strike pending a complete settlemen
 of the wage controversy.
 T Lieut.. George Sloan arrived hom' l lhi frc,,a. Co Iounonlr