The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-05-15
DECLARES W. RE.
WANTED A STRIKE
Deliberately Sought Battle,
Says BrOWnIOw.
TESTIMONY AN INDICTMENT
Commissioner Vigorously Cross
Examined, Is mistaken.
fcontinued from First Page.l

CONTINUED from First Page.D
missioner Brownlow read q copy OF
q contract which the shopmen and
barnmen employed by the company
were required to sign before the
strike In order to keep the jobs. The
contract, referred to as ''the pink
Slip" read as follows:
~, the undersigned agree to accept
employment with the Washington
Railway and Electric Company as an
individual, and sever all relations
with the Amalgamated Association OF
Street and Electric Railway Employees
Of America"
Tells Why Efforts Failed.
The witness said It was because
OF the circulation OF this contract
among the men, because the train
men had been told by the starters
o that they need not report At the
barns for work on March IL unless
they were prepared to sign the in
dividual contract, and because Of 9TH
er information which the unionists
claimed they had received, that the
Commissioners were unable to dis
suRde the men from striking.
Asks AbOut Probe.
Attorney Hoover began his cross
examination by inquiring what authority
the Public Utilities Commission had to
examine the companyis books for the
month between March Il and April L
and report thereafter TO the Department
Of Labor that the company had lost
$4,000 during the first four weeks Of the
strike.
Commissioner Brownlow replied
that William Blackman, conciliator
for the Department Of Labor, had
mad can official request upon the ex-
ecutive secretary OF the commission
for the information, and It was fur
nished.
Replying to questions, the witness
reiterated that William F. Ham, vice
president Of the company, said a con-
tract with the grouped employees
without recognition Of the union
would be a farce" and that Presi-
dent King added "non-recognition OF
the union would make no difference,
because the union would be in the
background"
Asked II It were not q matter OF
1oct thaN the union dominated the
employees, Mr.. Brownlow replied:
''Only TO the extent that q majority
OF the employees are members OF the
union"
The witness reasserted that. before
the strike, the officials of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company
were. asked 70 make an-Ggreement
with their employees similar TO that
made by the Capital Traction COM
pany with fits trainmen, but refused.
Didn't Tell Everything.
He said the Commissioners did not
ten either side exactly what the other
side said, Because diplomacy is the
essence of arbitration and we oe-
cupied q psychological position
Questioned as to whether President
E41g characterized the amalgamated
a. "a rotten spot, or "a
bad spot" on the apple. the witness
said:
IF he said rotten, know he meant
bad. II he said bad, know he meant
rotten. He repeated this very often"
did Mr.. King ever say he was OPP
posed to collective bargaining7" asked |
Attorney Hoover.
He said he was not under ordinary |
the existing circumstances" said the !
witness when he told me that,
asked him why he had discharged sew
eral hundred employees from the barns
because they would not sign the In !