Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-12
STRIKE NOT PROBABLE
STREET CAR CONDUCTORS EXPECT
SATISFACTORY ADJUSTMENT.
Statement of Grievances in Hands of
Vice President Harries of
the Company.

| During the past few hours there have
| been many rumors in circulation regarding
| the possibility of strike among the en-
| ployes of the Metropolitan Railway Com
| pany. Investigation Of the matter has
shown that most of the conductors en-
ployed on the street. Connecticut avenue
and Cabin John Bride lines are much exer-
/ cised because of the manner in which the
| registers are believed to have been checked
| up by the clerk in charge for a number of
weeks past.
| 1t is declared by many of the men. who
| say they have suffered because of alleged
errors by the clerk mentioned that while
| every fare they have collected has been
registered by them, and the cash fare or
| ticket. as the may be. turned in to the
! company. ii has become usual to charge
! the conductors with shortages. and num-
| Der of instances to illustrate this were
| lated to Star reporter by various conduc
| tors today.
In one case. ii was stated. an old employe
| was charged with shortage OF more than
| 100 tickets In one day. In another case 1t
| was said. conductor was made to pay 81
| for a days shortage, while another conduc-
| tor was alleg d to be short forty tickets on
! day when he was not at work Many
| other cases of a similar nature were
| quoted, but those mentioned are samples OF
| the rest.
Most of the men assert that In their
| opinion Mr. Mccain has not been in the
| habit of taking the registers himself as he
was expected to do by the company and
that he intrusted this duty in many in
stances to the car cleaners who quit work
day before yesterday.
Errors in Counting Alleged
| There are Others however, who EXPRESS
| the opinion that troubles occur because of
errors in counting the tickets by the clerks
| whose duty 1t is to do so after the conduc-
| tor makes his returns Still others of the
men are of the opinion that it would rem
edy the difficulty complained of if the con-
ductor We're permitted to make his returns
/ at the end Of each round trip to a receiver
! appointed by the COMPANY II is the cus-
| TOM they say, with companies who employ
| d tcket receiver TO count the tickets and
cash at the time the conductor makes his
| report and If there be any error therein
the matter Is adjusted then and there
There are complaints. also. about the
number of hours that some of the conduc-
tors are compelled to work in order tn
make the number of trips required by the
| schedule, but this is a matter that is not
| regarded serious.
Regarding the probability of a strike, it
may be stated that there is no organiza-
ton among the employees of the railway
| company, and if they should quit work
| they could not expect to receive either the
sympathy or financial support. should one
| or the other be needed of either the Amer
| lean Federation of Labor or knights of
Labor, as they are not affiliated with
prominent labor leader today expressed
| the belief that any talk of a strike on the
| part OF the railway men pure bosh.
/ He had himself tried, he said, several
years ago to get the Metropolitan employees
| to organize and become affiliated with the
American Federation of Labor and in con-
versatfon with scores of the men he was
invariably informed by the latter that they
had no desire whatever to unite with any
labor organization. and he believed that
to be the sentiment of the men now.
What the Men Expect.
OF all the men talked with today by
The Star reporter the opinion was unani-
nous that Vice President Harries, who
has personal charge of the matter. will be
able to adjust the questions at issue in
such way to be satisfactory to all
concerned.
car cleaners Tuesday. il was stated that
he is alleged to have gone to sleep while
on duty and eight more threw up their
jobs because the boss would not re-employ
him.
1t is understood the officers of the rail-
way company disposed to grant any
reasonable request of the men regarding
the matter complained of, and Vice Presi-
dent Harries told Star reporter that the
company had already taken up the subject
of shortages. and would have that depart
ment so conducted in future as to be salts
factory to all concerned