Evening star., 1917-06-02
DISCUSSION Of WAGES
AT THE STRIKE INQUIRY
Vice President Ham Of the W. B.
and E. Company a Witness-Ex-
pert Accountant Heard.

pert AcCOuutduC deaIu.
Vice President Ham of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company to-
day told the Senate strike investigating
committee that If the company had ac-
ceded to the demands of the employees
union for increases in wages the com
pany would have paid its trainmen
$500. 900 more per year in wages than 1t
did in 1916. and its other employees. not
including officers. S375.54S, a total of
$615.64S in the expenditures of the COM
pany.
Mr.. Ham compared the salaries paid
to the men OF the Washington Railway
and Electric Company under the new
individual contract and those paid by
the Capital Traction Company under
it's agreement with the union. He took
up the annual wage Of the individual
men under the scales now paid by the
two companies.
Gives Result Of Comparison.
He showed that in the first year the
difference in favor of the men in the
Capital Traction Company would be
$31.20; the second year, Sic. so: the third
year, no difference; fourth year. no diff
ference: fifth year. no difference; sixth
eighth year, s31.20; ninth year. $31.2O:
tenth year. $31.20, and thereafter the
annual wage scale was the same up
to and including the twentieth year.
The total difference in twenty years in
favor of the Capital Traction employees
would he S202.s0
Mr.. Ham told the committee that II
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company had made a contract with the
union similar to that of the Capital
Traction Company it would have cost
the company approximately $4,000
more to pay its trafnmen for a year. He
testified that there were 1904 employees
of the company other than trainmen
and exclusive Of officers.
Garth B. Calderhead a Witness.
The company called to the stand to-
day Garth B. Calderhead, financial sec
retary of the local union. He testified
that he was a son of former Represent
ative Calderhead of Kansas, and had
for some years acted as his secretary.
He told the committee, under ques-
tions of Mr.. Hoover. counsel for the
company, that he had worked as
for the Washington Railway
and Electric Company; that December
3, 1915. he was discharged by the COM
pany because he took a drink while
on duty"
Mr.. Hoover tried to make him admit
that he was drunk, and that he had
been told a passenger on the car had
left the car because he feared to re-
main aboard. and had SO telephoned to
the division superintendent. Mr.. CAL
derhead denied that he had been told this.
He insisted that he had been discharged
by the company without sufficient rea-
son, particularly. he said. as there were
other men on the company's cars who
had offended by drinking much more
than he had, but they were still re-
tanned.
Makes an Admission.
Mr. Calder admitted that he was not
by the company because
he had been active in organizing the
union He told the committee he had
done good deal of work along this
line in 1915. however. and was con-
WINGED that the men must be organized
to get bGoper treatment He said that
he Joined the union after he had been
discharged by the company. He has
been employed as financial secretary
ever since.
Mr. Calder questioned by Mr.. vahey,
counsel for the strikers, told the COM
mittee that he never saw anything
equal to the discouraging conditions
We're working" He mentioned the
case of a motorman who had been de-
NOTED by the company because or an
accident which he insisted was no
set him to thinking of an organization.
The witness said he and others urged
the men to wait until they got their
bonus checks, January l, 1916, before
men were sore" over the bonus checks,
not thinking them large enough.
Expert Accountant Testifies.
Frank C. Nelson. an expert account
ant employed by the company, testified
as to the accounts of the local union
which had been submitted to him. He
told the committee that these accounts
showed on their face that the total re-
ceipts from February 1 to May 10 had
been s15.99S.20. and that the total ex-
penditures had been $21 ,57714: that the
apparent excess of expenditures over
receipts was s5,57s.s4. The only ex-
the union had not submitted all it's re-
ceipts. or some of the expenditures had
been duplicated in its accounts. He said
he thought the latter was the more
likely state of affairs.
Mr.. Hoover. for the company, again
asked the counsel for the union to pro-
vide the names of the LOO said to be
on the strikers payroll. Senator Pitt
man, chairman of the committee, held
that the company must know from its
records what the names of the men
were who had quit work March IL, and
ruled the company's request out Of
order.
Counsel for the company argued that
members of the union believe that all
of these men were still on strike, when,
as a matter of fact they were not.
To Resume Inquiry Monday.
Senator johnson of California. a
member of the committee, left Wash
ington today for st. Louis, and Sena-
tor Pittman announced there would be
no hearing tonight as planned. The
committee will meet next on Monday
morning at 10 o'clock.
Among the spectators who have at
tended the hearings recently were Mrs.
Newton Baker, wife of the Secretary
of War; Mrs. l.. D. Brandeis. wife of
Justice Brandeis, and Miss Pauline
Go1dmark
MANY FLOWERS COVER CAsKET
Body of Col. W. J. hampton Passes
Through City to Kentucky.
The body of Col. William J. hampton,
who died in New York Wednesday,
passed through Washington yesterday
on it's way to the home Of Col. Lamp
toms sister. Mrs. A. II. Simpson of
Winchester. Ky. The train was met
at Union station by Grosvenor Clark
or ,oyI 1f