The Washington herald., 1918-05-29
SHOP WORKERS
AT ALEXANDRIA
SEEK ARBITERS
Southern Mems Walkout
Due to Wage Dissatis-
faction.
The HERALD BUREAU.
r. Z. knight & Son.
sof sga Ri,w Gfpasf

Dissatisfied over the recent In
crease in wages between 500 and 400
employees Of the Southern Railway
shops in this city today walked out
and the shops are tied up as tight
as q drum
The shops employees later pro-
ceeded to their hall over the Alex
andria National Bank building and
teIegraphed Secretary McAdoo and
also the grand lodge OF their action.
Another meeting was held this
afternoon at o'clock at the same
hall with a majority of the men In
attendance. The meeting was q
short one and at its conclusion ]. w.
Collins. president OF Potomac Lodge
No. $50. International Association of
Machinists, stated that no agree
ment had been reached and that an
other meeting will be held at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning. at which
time IL is expected that representa-
tives of the government. together
with grand lodge officers, will be in
attendance.
Walk Out In Protest.
The men deny emphatically that
they are on q strike, but say that
test against the present wages,
which. Il Is claimed. is not COM
mensurate with the soaring cost of
living. According to the men their
increase ranged from 2ls to cents
an hour. while they claim elsewhere
the increase in wages for similar
work has been far greater.
Among the men who walked out
as a peaceful protest. and who de-
clare that they are not on strike,
were boilermakers, machinists, car
men, blacksmiths, pipe filters and
all helpers. For this class of shop
employees the Director General fixed
a minimum rate of pay of fifty-five
cents an hour. The recommendation
Of the wage commission was forty
eight cents an hour. an increase
from thirty-seven and one-half
cents paid in January, 1918. but Di-
rector General McAdoo arbitrarily
raised the rate to a minimum OF
dfty-iye cents an hour The old
rate of pay amounted to $3.50 per
month, and the new rate will
amount to S143.OO. an increase Of
$3.50 in a months pay.
Mr. McAdoo's Intent.
Mr.. McAdoO stressed the point
that he had gone beyond the Wage
Commissions recommendations in
granting an increase in pay to the
men working in the shops on the
hourly basis of pay, and made 1t
plain that the figures named by him
are subject to readjustment He
said that this was a special phase
Of railroad employment which the
wage Commission did not consider
.00arately. but included in its broad
80. for an increase for all en-
U!oyes.
Tee men accepted the situation
n good spirit. They simply claim
that the rate Of increase in their
Fay does not bring their pay up to
-the standard established in other
Industries. and will not permit them
10 meet the increased cost of living.
Sanitary Probe Inserted.
An investigation into the sanitary
condition of this city was begun this
afternoon by a grand Jury in the Cor
porati ton Court, Judge L. C. Barley
presiding. The jury heard a number
Of witnesses this afternoon and ad-
adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning when further witnesses will
he heard. 1t is expected that the jury
VIII report its findings to the court
late tomorrow afternoon.
Among he witnesses who have been
summoned TO testify are Richard Mes
ser. State sanitary engineer: Dr. ".
VI. Smith, president Of the State
Board OF Health: DR.. E. A. German,
city health officer: DR.. J. J. Garvey.
deputy city hearth officer. Chief of
Police c. T. Goods and Sgts. William
J. Wilkinson and Wilmer Scott.
The jury was instructed to make
such an investigation by Judge Barley
when he convented court this morning
because OF the increase in population
in the city.
At the morning session OF court the
jury returned true bills in the cases Of
fifteen persons for viola tions OF the
State prohibition law and one ndict-
ment for bigamy and one for larceny.
The jury is composed Of Capt. W. II.
Sweeney. foreman; Charles H. Gala
han, Charles B. Swan. Robert s.
Jones. Robert l. Payne. Thomas l..
Carter. A. S. Doniphan and George Z.
Pickett.