The Washington herald., 1917-03-14
UNION LEADERS ANSWER
COMPANY Arguments
Assail Statements of President King in
Newspaper Advertisement.

Union officials expressed themselves as
gratified at the progress of the fight
against the Washington Railway and
Electric Company in q statement issued
last night
They declared that the membership of
the union was standing firm, and answer
ed the statement of Clarence P. King, of
the company, to the effect that the union
was a disrupting influence by asserting
that officials Of go street railway COM
panies in the United States and Canada
had accepted the terms Of the organiza-
ton.
The statement reads: .sssgs
I'VE are well satisfied with the situa-
ton as 1t stands today. Our membership
Is standing firm and determined We have
the Endorsement of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor the Central Labor Union
of Washington. and of all organized
trades in the city. as well as the SYM
pathy of the general public. in our strug-
gle.
THE statements made by Mr.. King In
his advertisements in the papers we
think are we'll answered by the fact that
the Capital Traction Company has agreed
to our requests and entered into con-
tract with us. His statement as to the
Amalgamated Association being a dis
rupting influence is well answered by the
fact that over go of the leading street
railway companies OF the United States
and Canada made contracts with the
Amalgamated Association-such cities as
Boston, Providence. Albany, Troy. Syra-
cuse, Buffalo. Toronto. Detroit, Chicago.
Cincinnati, New Orleans. Vancouver.
Winnipeg Oakland. Salt Lake City, Pitts
burgh and all the leading cities of the en-
tire continent.
"Mr. Kings statement that we were
making unjust demands on his company
is refuted by the fact that we offered to
let the Commissioners of the District OF
Columbia act as arbitrators and say what
the conditions should be. We were also
willing to leave the entire question as to
whether we should have a contract and
what the terms of it should be to the
President of the United States.
Mr.. Kings declaration that the Anal
gamated Association is a foreign and
out-of-town organization is an amusing
declaration to one who knows the his
tory and ownership of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company. The
Amalgamated Association of the Street
and Electric Railway Employees of Amer
lea is a labor union; It Is part OF the
great American Federtion of Labor. II
is made up of the street railway employees
of the various cities of the United States
and Canada. As to its operation each
local union has complete autonomy in
dealing with the respective company
that the members OF 1t work for.
The local union in the city OF Wash
ington must agree with the company on
the wages that they will accept them
selves and no other power in the Anal
Camated Association can pass upon or
decide those questions.
Now. let US take a look at the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company
Is that owned or controlled by Wash
ington men? Is Mr.. King a Washington
man? The facts are that the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company is con-
trolled by the Stotesbury and Morgan
interests OF Philadelphia and New York,
and Mr.. King was sent here from the
outside by those interests to manage and
direct this property.
"Mr. Kings real objections to the Anal
gamated Association Is because the or
ganization requests a living wage for its
membership. This fact is easily establish
ed by comparing the wages paid by Mr..
King TO his employees and the wages paid
to the members of the Amalgamated AS
ISOLATION. The following wages are paid:
Washington Railway and Electric
hour: second, third. fourth and fifth year,
.
eighth. ninth and tenth years. 25 1-2 cents
per hour; after ten years OF service. q
cents per hour.
Wages of Pittsburgh, Pa-F1rst six
months in service. 81 cents per hour: sec
ond six months In service. % cents per
hour; second year in service, 81 cents per
hour; third year in service, SO cents per
hour; fourth year in service, "a cents per
hour; after four years in service, IS cents
per hour.
New Castle. Pa.-F1rst year in service,
Is cents per hour: second year in service,
81 cents per hour: after two years. 80 IL
cents per hour.
Worcester. Mass.-First six months in
service, % cents per hour; second six
months in service, % 1-2 cents per hour;
second year in service, 81 cents per hour:
third year in service, 50 cents per hour:
after three years, 81 per hour.
Detroit, Mich.-First six months in serv-
Ice, 2 1-2 cents per hour; next twelve
months in service. 321 cents per hour;
after eighteen months in service. IS cents
per hour.
Oakland, Cal.-F1rst year in service, 30
cents per hour.
This is increased 1 cent each year until
a man working for the company ten years
receives 10 cents per hour. except men on
mtcrurban, who receive q cents per
hour.
Salt Lake City. Utah-First year in serv-
ice. % cents per hour; after first year in
service. % cents per hour.
We believe that these figures and facts
show the real objections of Mr. King to
cur organization.
GEORGE A. WILBURT.
Wy