The Washington times., 1916-03-07
rHH CAR STRIKE SETTLEMENT


The strike of street car employees
is settled in record time, conditions
are better than they have been for
years, a menace which had confront
ed the community for a longer
time than the public has realized is
removed. The thing has been accom-
plished by dint of splendid manage
ment on all sides. Three groups de-
serve the highest commentator for
their conduct throughout the critical
period.
One group is the strikers. Their
temper and sincerity were shown at
the meeting last night at Convention
Hall. Commissioner Blackman, OF
the Department of Labor, said after
ward that he has seldom seen. in his
wide experience in strikes, such an
orderly, sober, and earnest body
of strikers. When the men
were told to go back to work and for
get their grievances they cheered.
Their leaders had agreed to accept
arbitration, and, without dissenting
, vote, they backed up this action.
Commissioner Blackman, before
the strikers, paid a tribute to the
second group, the officials Of the
street railway companies. They
cheered and applauded this tribute
to the men with whom they had had
differences. When a group Of strik-
ing employees recognize the fairness
and sincerity Of their employers, the
employers need no further tribute.
Not only the strikers and the COM
pany officials, but the public owe a
debt of gratitude to the Commits
sioners. Without any skyrocket
methods they set about effecting a
reconciliation, and, in the history Of
arbitration, that twelve-hour continu-
GUS session they had with employers
and employees speaks for itself.
OF immediate concern to the pub
lie is the fact that the cars are run
ming on schedule time this morning
after a strike without disorder
which accomplished its full purpose
and lasted but two days. But the
settlement arrived at has a more far
reaching effect. 1t means, if botf
sides abide by its provisions, that tn,
carmen and their employees have {
method by which to settle all differ
ences that may arise in the future
without any more strikes. The STRIKE
has cleared the situation, it has es
tablished a proper relation between
employer and employee, and this cit!
can pride itself upon a movement
which reached that happy result il
such law-abiding and orderly fash
ion.
Now that it is over, it is not i'm
: proper to say that the situation
threatened Washington with a grea
: disaster. People who know how nea
the great and prolonged car strik
came to running the city Of Indianap
oils, will not need to be reminde,
how great was the danger to thi
city. Washington being a Fedora
, city, headquarters of politics and o
national labor organization, it wa
! inevitable that unless quick settle
ment were arranged the whole mud
! die would have been dragged int
politics; Congress would have take
a hand, there would have been reso
lutions and bills, and inquiries, an
a generally fearful mess. Disorde
> would have presently been unavoiC
able, and after that had once starte
the end would have been beyond an
! mans conjecture.
The Commissioners of the Distrit
: saved the day by their prompt an
determined course. At 3:45 Sunda
. morning they were notified by the
= police authorities that the strike ha
: started. Instantly the Commission
! ers gathered at the Municipal Built
L ing, and took up plans for polio
s protection. BY 8 o'clock Sunda
: morning these were ready, printe
n and specific orders were in the hanc
> of every member of the force, ordel
n which were based on the determine
l. ton to keep order first, and to do
u with the broad purpose of suppress
d ing every disturbance, but in nowi
IL interfering with proper assemblage
lie Then. the Commissioners set abo
l. their mediation effort. They we
n determined to serve the public frs
ct to get cars running again. By
t. o'clock Sunday morning leaders HI
r, been brought into conference, and I
III arrangement had been made for
Is conference with the union represer
re atives at $3.50 p. M, and for anoth
Of with the railway officials an no
is later.
The two groups of leaders we
VS. placed in separate rooms in the M