Evening star., 1917-03-19
More Than 300 Men Meet to
Consider" '"Working Agree
ment" Submitted.
DETAILS OF PROPOSAL
NOT GIVEN TO PUBLIC
Understood Sliding Scale of Wages
Offers to Better. Minimum and
Maximum Amounts Now Paid.

More than 900 employees of the Capital
Brotherhood of Painters and Decorators,
at .sth and G streets. this morning, to
take a secret ballot on the proposals of
that company for working agreement.
The company offered sliding scale of
wages, higher at both ends than the
present minimum of % cents and the
present maximum of 81 cents. Neither
the Capital Traction officials nor the en-
ployes' committee which presented the
proposals to the men would give any
informa ton about the details Of the pro-
posals Both sides stated they were un-
der an ironclad agreement not to do SO.
1t was understood that the scale Of
fered sets three. instead of five classes
of nav, and that the minimum is "a
cents and the maximum 29 cents Mem
hers of the committee declined to af-
firm or deny this report
About seventy-f1ve employees of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company sought to gain admission to
the meeting. They were refused.
Many of them complained, on the
ground that they are members of the
same local as the Capital Traction
men. and because any agreement
reached with that company. they
argued, would affect their fight for
higher pay with the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company.
Precautions to Avoid "Leak."
Utmost precautions were taken to avoid
leak" The Washington Railway and
Electric men were represented by George
A. Wilburt, president of the union, and
| by j. w. Cain. Edward McMorrow and
Frank Shea, national officers of the Anal
gsmated, were also present
Announcement was made that members
| of the union who talked about the meet
| ing afterward would be penalized.
The result of the meeting this morn
! ;nr and second to be held at the
same place at $50 o'clock this evening,
will not be announced until the COM
mittee informs officials of the Capital
traction Company about it tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock.
At a mass meeting. held at the apart
| mants of Mrs Charles Edward Russell
| in the Ethelhurst this morning a group
| of women. sympathizing with the strik-
ers. voted to organize a boycott of the
lines of the Washington Railway and
Electric Company: fney w., also ,o1ia made
IN various sections of the city. to urge
nther women to join in the boycott
Better Hours Offered.
| Retter terms in respect to hours also
were offered in the agreement pro-
nosed by the Capital Traction Com
many officials These were so compli-
Gated. being discussed in interrelated
sections of the agreement read to the
men. that some of the men themselves
| lnrofessed not to understand them.
The meeting was in session about
two hours 1t was not expected to
loot more than an hour. Heated dis
| cussion took place, it was learned
about the acceptance of the proposals,
and MANI of the Capital Traction men.
on coming away. told friends they were
dissatisfied with the proposals.
| Police of the several precincts this aft
| ernoon reported that they had expert
| enced no trouble on the lines of the
/ Wa ashinston Railway and Electric Com
pany today. 1t was reported that tree
| w. g thrown across the tracks of the CITY
and Suburban line beyond the District
| line last night.
Members of the police force are being
served hot coffee at night. Maj. Pullman
| Greeted that Sthe beverage be served be-
| cafse of the long hours of duty the
men are required to serve due to the
strike.
D. c. not to Operate Lines.
J There is no probability of the Dis
trict Commissioners taking over the
lines of the Washington Railway and
Continued on Second Page.)