Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-30
TERMINAL COMPANY
EMPL0YESSTR|KE
UItimatum Ignored, Several
Hundred Carmen and
Electricians Quit.
Confident TROUBLE
SOON WILL BE SETTLED
Several Trainloads of Men Brought
Here by Company to Meet
Situation.

Situation.
Several hundred unionized employees
Of the Washington Terminal Company.
Of carmen and electricians
on duty at the yards Of the Union sta
ton. no reply having been received to
their ultimatum regarding grievances
submitted yesterday, enthusiastically
walked out at o'clock this morning.
The men included those whose shift
had ended at am. and those who had
already started on the day shift They
streamed down G street northwest to
Typographical Temple, where they
were briefly addressed by George A.
Nolte, general organizer and first vice
president of the Brotherhood Of Rail-
way Carmen of America, with which
organization the local body is aff1li-
ated.
About half the men who made the
march were Italians A few were in
holiday garb. but the majority OF the
whole crowd were in their working
clothes except for the overalls which
they had Loffed. The spirit OF the
crowd was happy and optimistic one:
and numerous prophecies were heard
that in view of this mornings demon
stration their differences with the
company would speedily be settled.
Grievances Of the Men.
The mems grievances. mentioned in
the letter sent yesterday to A. NJ. KEEP
pei, Superintendent of the company,
included the reinstatement of men
who are alleged to have been recently
without cause, slight In
crease in wages and, most particularly,
the permanent removal of 'foremen
implicated in the extortion OF money
from employees
Employees stated that their reasons
forth in a pamphlet. entitled Tribute
Labor Must Pay" which. they say. dis
closes thorough system OF graft and
discrimination having for long time
been perpetrated by some of the Of
fcials Of the company and which has
poration on more than one occasion
This pamphlet contains number OF af-
fdavits from employees, whe swear they
had to pay ofhcfals, or So-betweens
from SIS to $50 to obtain positions and
occasional extra sums to hold them.
Ready to Meet Wa1k-out.
The company ofacials had taken steps
to meet the walk-out, several train
loads of employees from New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore having ar
rived at the Union station during the
night and early morning. The cars were
parked in the yards. and the station
chief of police, William E. Wet, had
sworn in a number of extra policemen
to keep order. Strikers this morning
said that one carload OF these strike
breakers" had refused to work and had
gone back whence they came.
Men in Holiday Mood.
So far there has been not the slight
est disorder and the men were in more
of a holiday mood than anything else.
Gathered before Typographical Temple
they displayed, with cheers. banner
labeled Garments Union" to all pass
ing street cars and vehicles and re-
ceived answering applause. They took
pains to keep the sidewalks clear for
pedestrians and otherwise to observe
not only the laws, but even the con-
ventions. The suggestion was made to
purchase two flags, those of the United
banner, and one of the committeeman
signing yesterdays letter departed on
this errand.
Shortly after that time Mr.. Nolte ap-
peared and was followed into the hall,
where he called the meeting to order.
He congratulated them on the way they
had handled themselves and on the
evident unanimity and determination
of their movement, and said that the
conditions under which they had been
working was AN indictment against
the National Capital" He stated that
of Labor ofiicials had used
every honorable means in their power
to help adjust the differences. and
them in decided phrases to do
or say nothing that might reflect on
Il Clean fight" he added. and an
that, inasmuch as today is a
holiday and no provisions have been
made for suitable place of meeting
later In the day. the meeting would be
adjourned until tomorrow.
Company Has Plenty of Help.
A. NJ. Keppel. the superintendent Of
the company. spoke this morning re-
as to the way the company
was meeting and would meet the new
The company has two ex
perienced men to replace every i'm
portant man who has left. he stated.
and the yards are being properly pa
trolled, so that there will be no pos
sible interference with traffic. He re-
on the fact that the company
had sixty-one men in the car shop, an
important branch, and of these but
three had walked out. and that out of
the fifty-eight left no fewer than fifty
one were all union men.
When asked as to the contingency
that, were cars not properly inspected
and equipped before going out the rules
IF the interstate commerce commission
would prevent their movement, he ad-
rised that the class of new employees
in insures all rulings of the
being complied with and
hat the public need not consider any
possible lack of the usual safeguards.
Number of Men on Strike.
1t was stated by strikers that in the
of 100 strikebreakers had
.ome in. Strikers said that the normal
number of men with grievances was
bout 400, but that recent discharges
lad reduced this number to about $50.
With consequent added labor and dis
to the men. Strikers also
aid that one section Of trackmen, be-
onging to another union organization.
,ad also walked out, but this could not
,e verifieds 1t is certain that between