Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-04-06

PREPARE ULTIMATUM
COMPANY Bars Doors Against Mem
hers and Discharges Those Ali
lated With the Union

Washington, April 6-Forty or
more employees of the Washington
Virginia Railway Company, who pro-
tossed union membership when they
rcnorted for work this morning were
"locked OUT by the company
This action followed the submls-
sion of demands upon the company
Yesterday for increased pay and rein
statement of men discharged since
March Is.
When they reported for work this
morning each man was asked II ne
belonged to the union. If his reply
was in the affirmative, nc was I'M
mcdiately. discharged.
The men on the upper Virginia d.
vision, that operate from the Lacey
barns were locked out literally as
we'll as figuratively. The barn doors
were closed against them.
The company it is declared is pre-
pared to fight the union to the last
ditch.
Service on the five divisions of the
company is not affected, it is stated.
Superintendent j. w. Rich is autho-
r;ty for the statement that there was
but one car of the regular service
not running this morning.
Prompt and defiant refusal to grant
a single demand embodied IN the
memorandum yesterday submitted by
unionized employees Of the Washing
ton-Virginia Railway Company to Of
ficials of the company was announced
last night by General Manager K. W.
King.
Immediately following the receipt
Of the memorandum, Mr.. King framed
a formal reply stating that the COM
pany is unwilling to yield an inch.
A committee of; the unionized car
men of the company will meet today
in the Offices of the carmens union
in Washington, to decide upon the
next step.
While the railway employees are 81
lent as to the procedure, it is:intimat-
od that an ultimatum will be served
on the company, and that if the COM
many refuses a strike will be declar-
cd.
Approximately ;2S5 carmen are en-
ploycd by the company which operates
five lines in Virginia-the Washing
ton, Alexandria, and Mount Vernon
line: lines to Fall Church and Fair
fax: to Arlington and Fort Myer, and
from Rosslyn to the points named
EMPLOYEES of the company have form
cd n union that has been recognized
bv the American Federation OF Lab.o,
as Division 600, Amalgamated Asso'
citation of Street and Electric Rail,
way Employees of America.
A memorandum similar to the one
submitted yesterday will be present
ed within a day or two to 'officlais o.
the Washington and Old Dominion
Railway Company, according to unior
officers. Officials of the company say
that every demand will be refused.
Rezin Orr, international treasurer
OF the union, who organized both
Washington and Virginia carmen saio
last night that virtually all of the
cmployes of the Old Dominion Com
pany are unionized and that all bu
S per cent of the Washington -Virginis
employees are organized. j. W. Rich
superintendent of the Washington
Virginia Company, said last nigh
that as far as he knew. only abou
forty men were organized.
"Only about forty men are behln'
this move" he declared. "The de
mands are extravagant and natural.
had to be refused in toto. 's
"At the beginning of the year W
decided we would raise the salaries o
our employees but determination of
definite scale was postponed to avail
the outcome Of the fight of the Wash
ington carmen. Following the settle
ment of their strike we decided t
put into effect on July l, next, a seal
of wages almost identical with tha
now received by Washington carmen