The Washington times., 1917-03-28
LETTERS TO TIMES
FROM ITS READERS
Spanish War Veteran Says Age
Need Be No Bar to
Service.
To the Editor of THE TINES:

To the Editor Of THE TINES:
Sir: I noticed in your paper . few
days ago an account of a gentleman
In your citysbeing 102 years old, who
claims to have been too old to enlist
during the civil war. 1 wish to state
for his benefit that IL he had beer
down here, in old Tennessee, during
that time, he could have gone in the
game without any trouble. I enlisted
during the Spanish-American war, be:
ing on the shady side of forty, and
several members in my regiment
were on the shady side" OF sixty
and some of them civil war veterans
ana some who had the misfortune tc
be on the wrong side.
also wish to state that we hav.
an old comrade in this home whI
claims to have served in the Mexican
civil, snd Spanish war, and Is at the
present time still on extra duty In
the National Home at Johnson City
Tenn. b. H. ROBERTS,
Late Corp. F. Co., I'd Tenn, s. A. W
National Soldiers Home, Tennessee
suggests Car Strikers Arrange to
Have Jitney Fares Lowered, II They
Wish Friends 10 Stay on W! n, q Il.
Cars.
To the Editor Of THE TINES:
While 1t appears that the average
Government employe. especially those
who are members Of the Federal EN-
ployes' Union. are in sympathy with the
striking trolley men, yet a peculiar situ-
alton has arisen during the last few
days which is worth consideration. II
is well known fact that the employees
OF Uncle Sam are a low-salaried class
and their meager salaries hardly reach
from one payday to the next. so that al
this part Of the month many Of them
are hard pressed for cash, and instead
Of paying the required 10-cent fare on
the jttneys. they are going back to the
cars Of the Washington Railway and
Electric Company. where a scent fare
will get them to and from their homes
The contention Is being made, and the
matter Is being freely discussed in all
of the departments. that II the trolley
men desire the Government employees to
taboo the Washington railway lines, they
should make some arrangements with
jitney drivers 50 that a scent fare
would be charged instead Of the pre-
vaIling 10-cent rate.
For several weeks now a patient trav-
cling public has been putting up with
no end Of Inconvenience in order to as
sist the strikers. but the time has now
come when the strikers themselves
should do something to make possible a
competitiye rate Of fare that will per-
init a class Of Washingtonians who are
not overburdened with this world
goods to get to and from their work
without paying double fare just to as
sist the strikers.
Members OF the Federal Employees
Union who heard Of the proposition OF
President McLarin 10 have the union
vote a certain amount of cash to assist
the strikers were very much incensed
and suggested that instead this money
should be voted to the members OF the
union to help them pay the increased
fare demanded by jitney drivers.
II Is far from pleasant to. board a car
and have one Of the strikers who stands
on picket duty yell'out. You're getting
on a scab car" and IL they want the
travelling public in hearty sympathy
with them. let them arrange for a uni
versal scent fare on competitive lines
and then ninety-nine out Of every one
hundred persons will gladly meet them
more than half way.
G. K. WESTON.