Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1916 — GENERAL STRIKE IN NEW YORK TODAY [ARTICLE]

GENERAL STRIKE IN NEW YORK TODAY

700,000 Workmen Ordered to Walk Out. ALL PEACE EFFORTS FAIL Mayor Mitchel Notifies Labor Heads He Will Use Military to Maintain Orcler—Attacks on Cars • Continue. New York, Sept. 22.—A general strike of union workmen in New York city, involving 700,000 men and aimed to kelp the striking street ear employees, will be called today, it was announced by Ernest Bphm, secretary of the Central Federated Union. The announcement by Bohin came after a conference between labor leaders and a citizens’ committee which both he and Mayor Mitchel declared had failed in efforts to avert the strike.

Labor leaders were given formal warning by Mayor Mitchel that he would employ the “full civil and military powers” conferred upon him by law to prevent disorders if the threatened general strike of trade unionists is called today to aid tfie street ear* employees who quit their places September G. State Takes Hand. A new factor which it is hoped may avert the proposed geueral strike entered the traction situation when M. J. Reagan, a member of the state hoard of arbitration and mediation sent notices to the strike leaders and the traction managers to appear at the office of the board next Monday morning, wlfen hearings wili begin for the purpose of finding a Way out of the threjitened deadlock. This action was decided upon when it was apparent that the critical stage of the traction strike had been reached. With the railway officials stiff defiant, the outlook is that the next few hours will do,term)ne tlie outcome of the, strike. , William. I». Fitzgerald, organizer of the carmen’s union, announced that lie was highly optimisin' of a sympathetic strike of the building trades unions, not • miiy in Manhattan and the Bronx, but in Brooklyn, Long Island City and Staten Island.

Seven Millions Endangered. The determination of the state board of arbitration and mediation to take a hand in the strike \<Eas announced after a meeting between Batumi (fntnpers, president of the American Fed-prat ion of Labor; labor leaders and the citizens’ committee of seven, which is working to avert the threatened deadlock. No -further appeal was made to the traction managers to arbitrate, as President Shouts of the lnterliorough company made it clear tlait lie laid nothing to arbitrate. Attacks on surface cars continue. More than a score of strikers attacked a Madison avenue Car at Seventy-sec-ond street, throwing s'ieks sit the crew. Several passengers were bruised. The ear was stopped and at that moment a police lieutenant drove up in an automobile, and With three detectives dispersed tin; crowd. Three strikers were arrested.