The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-07-30
EFFORT
TO END
STRIKE
Coz Heads Among $1,000
Car Employees Seek
Take Referendum
Vote.
ON WAS TOO HAsTY
Three Hundred Radicals Among Union
Men are Responsible for Sud-
den Calling Of
Strike.
ON WAS TOO HAsTY

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.
CHICAGO, July 30-Cooler heads
among officials Of the $4,000 striking
street car and elevated railway en-
ployes today sought to take a referen
dunn vote to determine whether the
city's transportation system shall con.
tinued to be paralyzed
L. D. Bland, international treasurer
Of the Carmens union, asserted he will
take steps Immediately toward com
pleting the referendum vote.
The hasty action in calling the
strike early yesterday without an
hours notice to the public and after
refusing a 67 cent wage, Bland said
was caused by 800 radicals among the
union men.
Bland was to confer with w. D.
Mahon. international president who
arrived in the city this morning.
Mahon who had recommended the
men accept the wage scale offered,
was expected to start rigid investi-
cation into the persons causing the
quick calling of the strike.
Appeal for 200 citizen soldiers in
uniform to help handle traffic In the
downtown section and at other con-
the city public safety department Dur
ing the early hours today traffic went
as it would, and numerous accidents
occurred. traffic policemen having
been sent to the riot zones.
Every conveyance was used for
carrying to the business districts the
250,000 workers, stenographers and
clerks. Trucks, cabs, express wagons
and other vehicles were pressed into
service.
Traffic tied itself into scores of gor-
dian knots when crowds started home
after the first day Of the strike. A few
scattered policemen and self ap-
pointed officers attempted to guide the
streets full Of people. Railway sta
tions were crowded to overlooking.
Ticket booths by the dozens, appeared
on the outside of stations where thou
sands pressed closely to buy paste.
boards.
Further complications in the strike
situation were assured today when
employees of the Aurora, Elgin and
Chicago electric road voted to Strike.
The road uses the tracks of the
Metropolitan elevted line in the city.
More than $4,000 additional workers
will be forced to walk or use automo-
biles and steam roads, it was esti-
mated.
No meetings of officials Of roads or
union were held yesterday. Each side
"sat tight" to await developments
today following arrival of Mahon.
There was somewhat of spirit of
"fight-it-out' on the part Of company
Cff {o1
offered reasonable increase in pay
held ont for IS.
Union officials, headed by Bland,
blamed radicals who, they contended
forced the strike upon the city by
breaking off negotiations when cooler
heads might have effected a settle.
ment.
Anything to Ride.
CHICAGO, July 30.[Like an In
fant, Chicago toddled today. Be-
cause of the car strike, business
crept where 1t usually rushed.
Chicagoans rode tossing motor
trucks, suburban trains, bicycles,
motorcycles, ancient carriages, and
walked. The tens of thousands de-
pendent for evening and morning
rides on the surface and elevated
lines good naturedly faced every IN
convenience and discomfort forced
upon them by the strikers.
Suburban steam trains carried
thousands where they normally carry
hundreds The Northwestern line
cared for 100000 passengers, 1t was
said. The Illinois Central raised its
daiIv 1ict from non 10 20 ono D1,r-
ing the rush hours trains crept in
Indian file, feeling their way eau
tiously over each switch and taking