The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-05-22
UNION IMPROVES
ST. CAR SERVICE
Claim Of Strike Leader VIII
burt at Inquiry.
COMPANIES CASE NOW HEARD
Senator'S to Make Up TOday's Loss
BY Night Session.

Frankly confessing they had had
mo time to attend to pstronAgs"
since the local street car invsstiga-
ton began. the four Senators com
posing the inquiry committee, de-
cided to hold ne session today.
The hearing viii be resumed IN the
senate orics Bullying tonight at s
o'clock, with the lawmakers pledged
to hear testimony until IL o'clock
At tonight's session Attorney
George P. Hoover, Representing the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company, will call one or more wit
nesses to testify from the eompany's
standpoint
Calls strike Leader.
At noon today II became evident
that : battle OF wits Is eentering
around the Investigation In 'retalia-
ton for the suddenness with which
Attorney James II. Wahey closed the
case for the strikerA Attorney Hoover
invaded the camp OF the enemy and,
Attorney James II. aYhey closed the
the men who walked out. as the COM
panys frst witness. Today Attorney
Hoover said he could not tell who
would be placed on the stand to-
night. He may call Clarence p.
King. president Of the company; wI-
liam +. Ham, vice president. or an
other leader Of the strikers
The public had q brief inning at last
nights session Just before wtIburt left
the stand. when he was interrogatsd By
Attorney william Mex Clayton, rep
resenting the Federation Of citiiEen'S
Associations. 49,
The most significant statement made
by WlIburt IN reply TO attorney Clay
toms questions was that the creation Of |
a union among the employees Of street |
car compsnies msaut better service 70 |
the public.
Helps Get square Deal.
with a union the men feel that
they are reasonably certain OF their
Jobs, that with the interest OF one
pooled with that OF all and the inter-
est of all pooled With that Of one they |
can get sqaufe deal and win not be /
picked on by petty oficlaIs." said Mr..
Witburt II believe better discipline
;an be obtained through having the
organised"
,aid the witness. I'VE have to work |
With the public and We realize the
value Of public opinion"
Attorney Clayton read the names
II men who had been IN the employ
y the Washington Railway and Eiec-
.ric Company for long periods and
vent on strike on March r. The
names Of the men and the length Of
heir service included J. z. Walker,
hirty-nve years; w. N. Rice, thirty
ears; w. l. Snow, twenty-five years;
a +. Payne. twenty-five years, and
l. W. Nipple, hfteeh years
Sticks to His Claim.
Attorney Hoover read the oath Of
llsgiancs to the Amalgsmated As !
ociation Of Street and Electric Rail
ray Employees OF America which mem
ers Of the local division had taken.
called for loyalty to and activity
or the union.
AFTER hearing that oath read, do
on Atin want to say that men who
ave sworn to that can give the pub |
C better service than men who have
OF taken that oath3'' asked Attorney
Ioover.
al do" replied the witness.
Attorney Hoover then inquired as
D whether the president of the union,
rho testified that the spirit among
he men during 1915 was good, had
OF heard OF coercion practiced on
on-union men to make them Join the
rganization- The witness admitted
c had heard of case In which .
trsinman who conducted .
oarding house was threatened with
be loss OF all Of his paying guests
Mess he affiliated himself with the
MON.
Says King Refused to Talk.
Under cross-examlnation by Attor-
sy n. F. Mangam, WIlburt said
resident King refused 20 discuss a
,newal OF q contract with any
or any Individual" The
ttness said he reminded President
ing that the. latter had written a
tier in which he expressed viii
ngness to inject with any commit
e of motormen and conductors now
the service Of the company" and
Id him the three men calling on him
his office composed such a COM
ittee. but the traction magnate re-
Ised to talk to them as q COMMITTEES.
Replying to a question by Senator
'hnson, Wilburt said less than two
IT cent OF the motormen and con
lctors employed by the Washington
ailway and Electric company at the
me OF the strike owned their own
'mes." ~