The Washington herald., 1918-05-08
HIGHSCHOOLS
MIGHT SOLVE
CAR TROUBLES
Expert Suggests That Boys
Volunteer to Serve
as Crews.

John A. Beeler, the street railway
expert who, in cooperation with the
Executives Of the local companies. Is
endeavoring to bring the service here
to such a state OF efficiency that the
systems will be able to move the
vastly increased traffic with less dif-
ficulty, has now made an urgent
plea to the heads of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company and
the Capital Traction Company. He
asked them to strain every effort to
obtain the labor necessary to man all
the cars, many Of which. Mr.. Beeler
says, have been standing in the
barns on account OF the apparent i'm
possibility of getting conductors and
motormen.
Use school Boys.
The most drastic measures are
needed, II all else fails" said Mr..
Beeler yesterday. THE suggestion
has been made that women conduc-
tors be employed. but there has been
much adverse criticism. The most
feasible way Of overcoming the Diff
nculty II to adopt q plan successfully
used IN Denver for the last fifteen
years. This 10 to press into the ssrv-
ice high school boys, whose patriot
ism would rise above the sacrifice
OF leisure entailed IN giving two or
three hours Of their time every day
to help the street car companies to
cope with the situation. The moving
of war workers as well as the normal
population. back and forth to their
homes and Offices, Is becoming daily
more difficult. in spite Of all the
'expedients which have been recently
used for improving conditions.
How Richmond Boys Helped.
Mr.. Beeler produced a letter which
he had just received from the editor
Of the Electric Railway Journal, tell
ing how thirty high school boys of
Richmond, Va, had responded to the
plea Of patriotism which had been is
sued in that city. urging the boys to
do their bit in this way.
Thirty high school boys" the let
ter reads. ARE now employed as trip
per conductors. They are very salts
factory. and they are so bright and
active that they can be broken in
quickly. In the second place they
are natives. and so know the city
streets, public buildings and so forth
Mr.. w. F. Ham, vice-president OF
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company. when questioned as to this
suggestion, admitted that the COM
pany was unable to man all its cars,
in spite of the most thorough meas
ures used to obtain conductors and
motormen. I'VE have gone so far"
said Mr.. Ham, "as to print display
advertisements in thirty-two country
newspapers throughout the State of
Maryland and Virginia. offering we'll
paid work. These advertisements
have brought inquiries, but I do not
believe we shall get satisfactory re-
suits. in view Of the universal short
age Of labor.
Railways willing.
LAS regards the employment Of high
school boys" Mr.. Ham continued,
I'VE would be only too glad to give
this plan a trial, and we would start
boys who would be willing to come to
our aid and the aid OF the community
at this time with the regular wages.
If we could only get them for two or
three hours daily, it would help
greatly. and 1t would be patriotic
work Of the first order. as any one
who is willing to do more work than
of stress is showing a praiseworthy
spirit OF patriotism, and doing his bit
to win the war. I think Mr.. Beelers
suggestion is an excellent one. and
wish some patriotic boys in Washing
ton would follow the example of
those thirty boys in Richmond"