The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-03-17
UNION SATISFIED,
SAYS STRIKE CHIEF
Edward McMorroW Asserts
"Conditions Were Never .
Brighter"

I'VE are satisfied with the situation.
From the standpoint Of the union, con-
ditions were never brighter"
This Is the concluding paragraph Of
a statement given out by Edward NC
Morrow, a member OF the executive
board of the Amalgamated Association
of Street and Electric Railway EN-
ployes of America, and adviser Of Of
ficisls OF the Washington division.
The statement refers to number
Of statements made in the interchange
Of communications between the Dis
trict Commissioners and the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company Of
ficials.." and adds:
"Mr. Clarence P. King says in his
communication to A. S. Henderson,
secretary of the Rhode Island Subur-
ban Citizens Association: 1--WE have
statements from men to the effect
that they were forced to join the
union, through threats OF personal
violence, through persistent persecu-
ton and petty annoyances surround
ing their daily work, and by threats
that II they did not join the union
they would lose their positions with
the company or be compelled to pay
large sums to go into the Amalga-
mated
Commissioners Are Quoted.
"observe what the District Commits
sioners, as impartial Jarbitrators, say
in their letter to the directors OF the
company yesterday:
"During the year numerous cases
were appealed to the Public Utilities
Commission and were settled by 1t.
During all that time not one COM
plant came to the attention of the
commissioners as to the working of
the agreement from either the COM
pany or the employees, and so far as
we were advised II was satisfactory
Let me call attention further to
the statement of the company as rep
resented by President King and con-
tained In a letter to the Commission
ers, which says:
You participated in those efforts,
as representing all OF the trafr. men,
and know that the proper adjustment
OF the many questions which will
arise as result or any effort to
modify or change :, the conditions of
that agreement viii require the cool,
careful, and the undivided attention
of all parties directly interested as
well as the entire time of a media
torial board
docs such a statement intimate
that the right OF arbitration was to
be rejected by the company as evil
denced by the present attitude of the
directing head of the railroad?
Accepted the Principle. a..
Quoting further from the letter
OF the District Commissioners: In
asmuch as one year ago the company,
by dealing with a committee of its
employees, had accepted the principle
OF collective bargaining, and mas
much as Mr.. Kings letter of Febru-
airy % had referred to the services Of?
a mediatorial board, the Commission
ers at that time offered to the gen.
eral officers of the company their
good services as medIators. This
offer was declined on the ground that
under no circumstances would the
company recognize the union
These are the facts. They are a
matter OF record with an impartial
board. Can anybody doubt who is
right in this controversy?
1.-THE union men have conducted
with credit to the organ
ization and the principles they repre-
sent They have seen men OF question
able repute brought into the city to
take their places. They have seen
these men insult respectable women
and others unaccustomed to rough
treatment. They have seen wholesale
thievery practiced by the men who
have taken their places. They have
stood for a principle and they will
stand for 1t until they win, because
they are supported by public opinion"