The Washington herald., 1917-03-23
CAR STRIKE DEVELOPS
into BATTLE OF WORDS
Company Declares 1t Has Won and
Promises 100 Per Cent Service Soon.

The close of the eleventh day of the
strike Of the Washington Railway and
Electric Company and its employees saw
the controversy settle down to a battle
of statements from the contending forces.
officials OF the company declare that
they have broken" the strike and that
future efforts will be devoted to or
ganizing the new car crews into a per-
manent working force.
The answer of the union was a state
ment in which the company was chal-
ienged to give the names of the men
who have returned to work IL the COM
pany expects the public to believe its
statements.
Lawlessness and an increase in crime
accompany every street railway strike,
according to the union officials, and they
declare at is significant that the i'm
portation OF strike breakers Is coinci-
dent with an increase in the number of
holdupJ eEd robberies."
Last night the company declared that
it has given more complete service
than at any other time since their en-
ployes walked out. They asserted that
1t was only a matter of a day or two
after midnight and 100 per cent serv-
ice established.
Reiterates Belief.
Through its legal department the COM
pany last night reiterated its belief that
the existing boycott of the labor unions
and other sympathizers OF the strikers
was illegal and that the Interpretation
Of the Clayton antitrust act placed by
the union officials had deliberately left
not important section which affect its
operation.
1t was stated by the company that
IL did not propose to enter any news
paper controversy over the interpreta-
tion of the act but had issued the warn
ing to inform persons or organizations
who might unwittingly be drawn into
a controversy in which the matter will
be threshed out before a judicial trI-
bunal
Visit White House.
Mrs. c. H. Whitaker and Mrs. A. B.
Neale visited the White House and en-
deavored to interest the President in
helping to settle the dificulty. They were
instructed to put their request in writing
and the President will consider it.
Wives of the striking carmen yesterday
collected S34 from, Center Market en-
ployes and clerks at the Bureau OF En-
craving and Printing.
Today neighborhood meetings in the in
terests of the strikers will be held at the
homes of Mrs. A. D. Barber in George
Town. and or Mrs. waiter Durand at
Friendship on the Rockville pike
The company last night claimed that
the Thirteenth and D street car barns
were being operated without the aid OF
strikebreakers and that 200 of these tenn
porary employees had been released.
Trouble at Commissary.
There was little trouble on the lines
yesterday. although the strikers declared
that near mutiny occurred at the Eek
ington car barn when the commissary
chief was rebuked by the superintend-
ent for being too liberal with the food
rations.
International Executive Edward Nc
Morrow. OF the Amalgamated Associa-
ton, issued a statement last night r.
which he charged that the Washington
Railway and Electric Company had de-
fled the United States in refusing to ao-
cept President Wilson as a disinterested
mediator Of the differences.
He challenged the company to name
the old men who had returned to their
employ, and stated that the company
was making inducements to former en-
ployes discharged for drunkenness and
other ofrenses to have them return.