The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-09-28
MANY "SICK' JITNEYs HERE
Drivers Notify the District Attorney
That It Is Impossible for Them to
Comply With the Regulations
Union Not Holding Up Bonds

ney men to operate on the ''Go-As- You
! Please" plan which was to have been
tested out in the municipal court on
Monday afternoon went over to October
4th when the jitney men asked the court
to grant them continuance. Twenty
nine defendants were released on their
own bonds and it is understood that by
the adjourned date they will be ready
to come into court and show the defense.
That the defense is to be a demand for
a test of the validity of the Wisconsin
law regulating the operation Of jitneys
was shown clearly by the attitude Of the
men. While the question is being tried
out the district attorney advised all the
drivers that they must operate within
the strict provisions Of the law or expect
to submit to arrest for every violation.
/ He held that a close watch would be
kept on every jitney in operation in
/ Kenosha to see to it that it obeyed
the law and the state regulations to the
letter. This announcement brought out
the fact that there were lot of g sick
jitneys in Kenosha. One man declared
that his automobile was in the repair
shop and had been there for two weeks
and he did not have money enough to.
get it out, others complained of flat
i tires and broken magnetos. One man
declared that he had scheduled run of
/ eighteen hours day in his permit with
the commission and that it was physi-
cal impossibility for him to do this and
that he could not permit his daughter to
| operate the car as he had planned ON ac-
count of objection that she did not be-
/ long to the union. Itney drivers out
side the union charge discriminating in
the issuance Of bonds but one of the
members of the union committee in
charge of issuing bonds declared that
the union did not demand that man be
a member to get bond. He held that
the only demand made in the issuance
| of the bonds was that man show his
! qualifications to drive car by exami-
nation. The cost of joining the union
is an initiation fee of twenty-five dol
| lars and monthly fee Of one dollar. In.
addition to this there is charge of $75.
be held not transferable by the local
members Of the bonding company
Claims had been made that the local
committee had sought to limit competi-
tion in the jitney business by refusing
to issue bonds to applicants. This was
! denied by a member of the committee.
He declared that he did not believe that
there was a single application for bonds
pending. Others closely connected with
the union declared that this was prob
ably an error and that there were appli-
cations pending but that the reason the
demand for bonds had not been met
was the fact that the person in question
could not pass an examination and show
his ability to properly drive car.
The jitney men seemed to be of the
opinion that there was no escape from
prosecution on the charge of not cover
! ing the general routes outlined but they
were ready to fight for the right to OPP
| crate after the hours named in the COM
mission permit.
| Most of the drivers were in court
Monday afternoon, but at that many of
the cars are being operated over the
regular routes. In some cases the wives
/ and sisters operated the jitneys while
| in others the men employed men to han
die them while the court hearing was
| on.
The prosecutions started here are in
direct keeping with the opinion of an
enforcement of the law recently handed
down by Attorney General Owen and it
is understood that he is watching close
| " the outcome of the cases in The local
courts and the possibility of their appeal
to the Supreme court. The attorney
general has not been asked to assist in
the prosecution of the local cases.
Some of the jitney men declared on
Monday afternoon that they would sur
render their permits if they were to be
forced to operate only in the hours and
only on the routes named In the per-
mits. Several men have notified the
local committee that they will not ask
new bonds when the present bonds ex-
pire.
One thing is certain and that is that
the prosecutions are going to show the
jitney men just where they stand when
the whole proceedings are through. Po-
lice officers were notified by the district
attorney on Monday after the hearing
that they would be expected to keep a
close tab on the operation of all jitneys.