The Washington times., 1917-05-12
NEWMAN TELLS OF
TROLLEY STRIKE
Commissioner a Witness Be-
fore Senate Committee.
THOUGHT KING PLAN UNFAIR
Told Road President Draft Of Con-
tract Wasn't Right.
CONTINUED from First PaEe.l

CContinued from First Page.)
however. he said, the representatives
of the company and the spokesman
for the employees met at the District
building and congratulated each
other.
The witness was closely questioned
by Attorney Hoover regarding the
meeting held at Convention Hall on
March s. 1916. Responding TO lues-
tions. Mr.. Newman said the meeting
was open to non-union as well as
union employees of both companies,
and that it was specifically under
stood that the Amalgamated Associa-
ton OF Street and Electric Railway
Employees had nothing whatsoever to
do with the meeting.
Feared Packed Meeting.
"when the agreement was made
that a meeting of employees should
be held in Convention Hall didn't the
representatives Of the men insist that
the world employees should be inter
preted as meaning only trainmen?"
asked Attorney Hoover.
'Yes," replied Commissioner New
man
Wasn't the reason for that the fact
that the unionized trainmen knew that
II employees other than trainmen were
admitted, that the barnmen, shopmen,
and other employees would outnumber
them and select a non-union commit
tee to represent them in the negotia-
lions with the company" the attor-
ney asked.
mo-" replied the witness. The
trainmen were afraid that the COM
pany would pack the meeting with
employees other than trainmen. They
didn't want that to happen because
only the trainmen were involved in
the negotiations and they thought
that only the trainmen should have a
voice in selecting the committee"
The witness said that two-thirds or
three-fOurths Of the men who attended
the meeting were unionized trainmen.
There were very few non-union men
there, only a handful" he added
AS a matter Of fact three union
men were chosen to represent the en-
ployes, were they not?" asked Senator
Jones.
Union Men In Control
"Yes," replied the witness.
"And this committee on conference
was also made the grievance commit
tee 20 represent the employees Of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company" inquired the same Senator.
Mr.. Newman replied in the affirma-
tive
The Commissioner said he considered
the agreement Of 1916 unusual"
Asked to explain what he meant by
unusual" he said:
81 considered It unusual for a group
of unionized men to make a contract
- ra1nnrFzA THAR unfnn
I also considered it unusual that a
meeting should be called by disinter-
ested persons, the Commissioners, TO
settle a controversy on neutral terri
tory, Convention Hall The men
wanted the committee chosen In their
union hall The company wanted T.
chosen by employees voting at The
car barns"
Pamphlet Was an Issue.
Commissioner Newman was then
questioned regarding the circulation
OF a pamphlet after the strike was
settled, on which appeared this in
scription: Contract made by the
Capital Traction Company and the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company with the Amalgamated As
ISOLATION Of Street and Electric Rail
way Employees Of America" He said
President King complained to him
about the inscription on the ground
that it was incorrect, untrue, and
misleading" because neither com
pany had made a contract with the
association.
"what did you do after receiving
Mr.. Kings complaint" asked Attor-
ney Hoover.
81 wrote to Rezin Orr, treasurer OF
-. AraaT1.rnafad AGRnriaffnn NJ
Street and Electric Railway EN-
pIoyes, who was then in Washington
and informed him that the inscrip-
tion was incorrect and improper and
advised that II be withdrawn" re-
piled the witness.
''why did you write to Orr, why
didn't you write to the grievance
committee representing the employees
OF the Washington Railway and Elec.
trio Company" asked the attorney.
Because Mr.. Orr represented the
Amalgamated Association, and the
pamphlet looked as IL it had been
put out by that organization" was
reply.
The witness said he was given
copy of the demands made by the en-
ployes on February %. last. Asked II
he studied the memorandum of agree
ment he replied in the affirmative.
"Did you read section two OF that
agreement which provided that the
board OF arbitration should be com
posed of a representative of the COM
pany, a representative of the en-
ployes and a third man, thus eIimin-
ating the Public Utilities commission
as the board Of arbitration" asked
the attorney.
II did" responded the witness.
afrk. D,,krgo TTtugsg..