The Washington times., 1918-08-06
LACK Of LABOR
IMPERILS DISTRICT
HEALTH CONDITIONS
CONTINUED from Page IL

AAOAAA o6C ~
men. The best results are promised
by an appeal to President Wilson to
permit the eight-hour law to be sus-
pended under certain conditions, the
workers to be paid for overtime.
II the President should co this, as
the Commissioners of the District
believe he would under most careful
restrictions, the labor problem would
be partly solved, and further assist
ance might be given by the provost
marshal and draft boards in recog-
nizing certain District work as abso-
lutely necessary to the prosecution
of the war, adding men who are now
kept from this work by the fight
or-work" order Of General Grower.
No Place for Women.
It is impossible to use women in
the municipal departments having to
do with city requirements. They can
not work upon the streets. nor in the
collection of garbage, nor upon water
mains and sewers. Men must be had,
and the Federal Government must
recognize the wisdom Of preferential
recognition for the District govern
ment.
The garbage situation is an illustra-
ton The firm which for years col
lected and disposed of District gar
bage refused to take the contract for
the present fiscal year. They foresaw
labor and other difficulties ahead OF
them. By act of Congress their prop
erty was bought and the municipal
government is undertaking what has
heretofore been done by contractors.
Despite all efforts it has been found
impossible to get sufficient number
~ va
paid, the temptation of workmen is
to accept employment where wages
are higher Garbage collections are
admittedly irregular, with many COM
plants.
The new draft law is expected still
further to decrease the number of
men available for this and all other
branches of municipal work. bring
ing about an outlook that is genuine
1y serious to the people of the city
and to the Federal Government Of
which Washington is the greatest
workshop.
Burdens Grow Greater.
New difficulties pile upon the gar
bage and other departments each
day. Gen. John G. D. knight. engi-
neer Commissioner, worked Sunday
to start plans that will relieve par
ticulsrly dangerous situation connect
ed with the garbage department At
New Jersey avenue and X street
southeast, is the transfer station for
garbage. To this point is taken all
garbage collected in the city. From
there 1t is shipped to the disposal
plant at Cherrydale, Va The great
increase in population in Washing
ton has more than taxed the ca
pacity Of this plant to handle the
garbage.
1t has been difficult to obtain cars
for shipment to Cherrydale, and often
garbage wagons have stood for hours
without their contents being dumped.
Bitter complaint has arisen from the
people in that part of Washington.
General knight personally investit
gated the situation Sunday. and at
once set the sewerage, water and
street departments to work TO make
conditions better. The transfer yard
will be paved, so that II may be
flushed at frequent intervals, and
drainage will be improved. The rail-
road officials will be asked to furn-
fish steel cars that are tight, so that
there may be no leakage. This lack
has been one of the worst features.
The scarcity of cars brought car
riers that did not meet requirements
and the garbage leakage started OBJ
noxious conditions that aroused the
neighborhood. General knight said
today that priorities officials will do
everything possible to furnish better
cars.