The Washington herald., 1917-04-25
BRIEF HITS KING
Street Railway Union Leaders
Put Strong Complaint Be-
fore Senate Committee.

Clarence P. King. president Of the
Washington Railway and Electric Co. is
the object OF a scorchtng attack by the
striking street car employees in their
brief filed With the Senate investigating
committee last night.
copy Of the complaint also was hIed
by the union committee with President
King and the directors and the company
will answer 1t in a brief to the investig1-
tors within forty-eight hours
After rehearsing the negotiations with
the company which brought no agree
ment, the committee fSr the employees,
consisting Of George A. Wllburt, J. W
Cain and Frank NJ. Thompson. charge
the company with deliberately and will
fully trying to break up their union in
the following items:
Il. BY employing strikebreakers who
have stolen with impunity money paid
by passengers.
- By restoring employees who were
discharged by the company for drunken
ness, recklessness and dishonesty.
%. OF endangering the lives OF passen-
gers upon their cars by the employment
of inexperienced help, causing a great in
crease in the number Of accidents as
disclosed by the records of the Public
Utilities Commission.
Statements to ConEress."
-. BY enforcing servitude upon the
employees through compulsory signing Of
the individual contract
"5. BY deceiving members of the Com
gress and the public of the District OF
Columbia with statements that the men
insist upon the closed shop and an
agreement with the AmalEamated Asso-
fsia hOfh ~ nj oh etc
dent King knows to be untrue
20. By imposing the individual con-
tract upon the employees in an attempt
to cover up an investigation OF the COM
pany's finances in case Of a disagreement
between the company and its employees"
In the preliminary to the specific COM
plants President King is accused OF not
keeping faith with his employees and of
having contracted for the hiring of strike
breakers before the existing contract ex-
pired on March IL. They further assert
he discharged 900 men before the agree
ment with the Amalgamated Association
expired because these men would not sign
the individual agreement. The men as
sert this Individual contract denies all
rights for collective bargaining.
Referring to the Washington Railway
Relief Association, with which most OF
the striking carmen are affiliated. the
committee says: I'VE charge Mr.. King
and his company with a deliberate at
tempt to deprive US of the benefits to-
which we are entitled"
In conclusion the statement says: We
are prepared to offer proper proof Of the
truth of all these allegations, and wei
think they will very clearly indicate to
your committee and the Senate Of the
United States and the people Of the Dis
trict OF Columbia why Mr.. King and his
associates do not want to deal with the
men collectively"
Senator Key Pittman, of Colorado. tenn
porary chairman Of the investigating
committee was furnished with a copy of
the employees complaint. With the re-
ceipt of the answer OF the company, the
committee will decide upon a date for
hearings.
Citizens Want Hearing
william NICK. Clayton. representing
the Federation OF Citizens Associations
last night upset the plans~of the Senate /
Committee investigating the street car
strike by a formal request that the or
sanization be given the privilege OF being !
heard en- the issues.
The main purpose Of the organization |
Is to have law enacted that will
compel compulsory arbitration of ALI
disputes between public service corpora |
tions of the District and their employees. |
The personnel OF committee on public !
utilities. Federation Of Citizens Associa- |
tons, consists Of the following delegates |
representing the citizens associations
named: Edward F. Colladay. Chevy
Chase; L. Holland. Midcity; D. A Ed |
wards. Lincoln Park; Emory A. Bryant, |
Connecticut Avenue; Herman A. Phillips. |
Mount Pleasant; William Nick. Clayton. |
Brightwood Park. and Charles s. shreve. I
ex-offlcio member. Central president I