The morning times., 1895-09-18
PUZZLED What TO ANSWER
President GriswoId Questions
the Anacostia Railway Men.
THEY FEAR A REDUCTION
Asked to Reply to Series of Inter-
rogatories Affecting the Manage
ment of Il Car Line-The Employees
Are Fearful That He Comemplates
a Move Upon Them.

There is good reason for believing that
some decisive action as tb the future of his
road will be taken by President Griswold,
of the Anacostia line, before the first of
the coming month. A Times reporter ran
across circular letter of the president
which Indicate the proposed change.
The more important of these questions,
which are addressed TO the employees, are
as follows:
First. Which would you consider the
best service to the public, two-horse cars
every six minutes?
Second. What do You consider the
greatest good To the greatest number, the
employment of seventy-six men at low
wages, thirty-eight men at fair wages, or
nineteen at large wages?
Third. In reducing the number of cars
and the number of your employees, bow
would you accomplish il? By drawing lots;
by taking alternate names; by retaining
the oldest; by retaining those who had
best served you?
Fourth. Do you believe in open, secret,
or no Inspection?
Fifth. DO go"dlooking drivers in uni
form, well-kept horses and clean cars in
duce ridinS?"
The other questions relate to the drivers
and conductors opinions as to the cost OF
equipment and the deterioration OF stock.
WHAT THE MEN SAY.
There is a great deal of speculation
among the men as to what II this means.
Some of them understa nd that the questions
indicate sweeping reduction of the number
OF men and that the president is desirious
ofhaving men to be parties to the reduction.
THE way some of us look at it is this"
said one of the men last night I'VE have
been given until the 21st to make answers
TO these questions, although we are not told
that we will be obliged to answer them.
Il think that the second question is a very
crafty one, and the most important of ALL
Mr.. Griswold, by those questions, has GER
taiDly, to my mind, made il plain that there
will be at some near day a reduction of the
force. He may put it Oh the ground that the
company is making no money; lie may putt
on any other.
MT huOWs tudt II ne luGoWS u fpt Oh
men out of a job there will be a kick.
BY this vote of the men, and that is really
what it is, he will feel justified and will tell
the public that the men agreed to the change
having had plenty Of time to consider it.
He knows that no une will vote for seventy
six men at low wages because low wages
means no living at all.
There is a chance that there will be a
goodyote for thirty-eight menat good wages
and the wages is thrown out as n bait
And there is something very temptin & in the
offer to run the road with nineteen men at
large wages. Hecounts on ch man hoping
that he will be one of the nineteen.
Then in the third question il seems to be
fair proposition that he shall retain those
who had served him best, but be win be
the judge of that fact. In general we don't
like to answer the questions at all and 1
don't suppose that many will send in re-
plies. We might be helping to get ourselves
out of a job.
WHAT HIS OBJECT IS.
Another thing is this: If Mr.. Girls
void was fair in these questions he would
have declared, in the paper, what his OBJ
ject was. 1t is plain TO us that he is asking
questions TO which he already has the an
swers. because If anybody knows how to
run road under any of the conditions he
proposes, il is he himself"
''What are you going t. do about it?
Nothing; have an IDEA that it will not
be signed TO any great extent ard that will
settle the scheme
IF Mr. GriSwold should have in his
possession our answer a the time he wants
to make arbitrary changes affecting the
men and there should be protest, he
would merely produce this vote Of the
men and they would be debarred from
further protest Our mouths are closed.
Our policy is to ray nothirg and TO wait
for results, which, / think, viii be soon
apparent.
We have made complaint To him within
the past week of certain cases, in which
we consider that he has dealt unfairly with
our men, and he has not shown a disposition
ance with the facts"
The trouble was ON account of suspend-
ing Drivers Lusby, Jones. and Moore The
men were put off from perioda of one
month to two months, and the af air being
reported to the Protective Street Railway
Union yesterday, Committee from that
body, consisting of President Laurence
and Mr. Casey, called on President Girls
void and put the matter before that Of
ficiai, who told President Laurence to
put his grievance in writing, which win be
done. The men claim the punishment is
excessive if not uncaled for.