The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-03-14
DEVELOPMENTS AT
STRIKE QUARTERS
Statement Issued BY Committee
Calls Labor Conditions
Here Bad.
MASS MEETING ON SUNDAY
Illness of G. A. WiIburt, Chair
man, Declared to Be
Only Slight. -
MASS MEETING ON SUNDAY


strike headquarters in the Washing
ton Loan and Trust Building included;
Issuance OF a statement by the gen
eral committee declaring that labor
conditions in Washington were great
ly to the disadvantage Of street car
employees compared with other cities
The announcement that at Il meet
ing tonight with the Central Labor
Union arrangements will be made for
a mass meeting for next Sunday to de-
termine future action by the strikers.
Announcement that the local union
strikers will meet at 1880 a. m. and
$50 p. m. tomorrow in Typographical
Temple to take action Of financial mat
tiers OF the union.
The illness Of C. A. wilburt, chair
man OF the strikers committee, was
announced to be only temporary. He
will report at headquarters tonight.
Car1' Use Forbidden .
Garth Calderhead. financial secretary
Of the union. declared that regulations
Of numerous unions prohibited members
, from patronixing street cars operated by
strike breakers. The penalty for vio-
lation ranges from q nne Of S to expul-
sion from the union.
Organizer McMorrow issued a state
ment declaring the amalgamated asso-
citation instructs all its members to law
fully conduct themselves and not at
tempt the destruction Of property. The
official statement signed by officials of
the strikers organization was as fol.
lows.
The situation today Is very good.
Our men are standing firm, and we
are becoming better organized every
day. We now have our membership
divided into seven districts, to which
the men report every day. These dis
tricts are handled by two committee
men, who direct the pickets in their
work.
Meetings of the men are held each
day at the respective places in the
districts. There will be q meeting
this evening between our committee
and the executive committee of the
Central Labor Union Of Washington,
for the purpose OF arranging a dem
onstration and public mass meeting
TO take place next Sunday at some
point to be agreed upon by these
committees. e..
Encouraging stand.
Many citizens not connected with
the labor unions are calling on US
every day, encouraging us to stand
united and not to give up our fight
and assuring us of their cooperation
and support. I'VE note in the adver-
tisement that Mr.. King. president Of
the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company, Is still claiming that
we had demanded that all employees
should become members Of our union.
Mr.. King well knows that that propo-
sition was withdrawn and that We
offered to accept on that question the
same proposition that was granted
the Capital Traction Company and
accepted by their employees.
But we note, also, in the King
advertisement that he does not inform
the public that prior to the time Of
the formation of our union the COM
pany did have what they called
beneficial organization, to which
they compelled every employe to
Join. and II they did not he lost his
job. Gnd was dismissed from the
service of the Washington Railway
and Electric Company.
I'VE again repeat that the issues in
this struggle are clear. We are de-
manding the. right Of dealing as a
body. OF collective bargaining which
the company is opposing for financial
reasons.
The condition Of our employment
up TO last. Sunday was that We had
to serve an apprenticeship of ten
years before we reached the maximum
Of 81 cents per hour. This is prac-
ticalIy the longest period and the low
est wages prevailing in America
Asks Comparison.
I'VE would ask you to compare the
maximum pay after ten years pre-
vaiIing in Washington, which is 81
cents per hour, with that paid to the
members Of our association in some
OF the other cities. where the en-
ployes are organized and have estab-
lished the right OF collective bargain
ing.
Worcester, Mass, after three years
in service, pays "a cents per hour.
Detroit, Mich. after eighteen
months in the service, pays 30 cents
per hour.
East Liverpool. Ohio. after three
years in the service, pays 30 cents
per hour.
pittsburgh. Pa. AFTER four years
in service pays 35 cents per hour.
New Castle. Pa, after two years
in service pays 33H cents per hour.
youngstown, Ohio, after two years
In service, pay 1914 cents per hour.
Troy, N. Y, after one year. in SER
vice pays 81 cents an hour.
Albany, n. Y, after one year in
service, pays 80 cents per hour.
sharon, Pa, after two years in
service pays 80 cents per hour.
Cleveland, Ohio, afte one year
in service pays "a cents per hour.
In San Francisco. the men men on
municipality owned and operated lines
receive from the time they enter the
service "a cents per hour.
We could go on with city after
cItyIthroughout the United States and
Canada. showing this condition. which
to our minds is absolute proof that
the real issue and reasons for Mr..
King to oppose us is his determine
ton TO destroy our organization and
place US back in individual positions.
and thereby rob u.s. of the rights OF
collective bargaining.
(signed) &C. A. wILBURT.
JOHN w. CAIN.
M. T. SLATER"