Evening star., 1919-01-23
v. R. T. AND UNION
MEN NEAR CLASH
Street Car Employees Meet
ing Tonight May Decide
Strike Question.

next tWenCy-IDuE uDurS-
Whether or not here will be strike
in the immediate future will depend
upon the temper of the carmen when
they meet at midnight tonight to re-
ceive the report of it's committee which
IS to confer with officers of the COM
pany relative to the contract demanded
by the union men
Not to Sign Union Contract.
Milton E. Allies, chairman of the
board of directors of the Washington
railway, said today that the. COM
pany does not purpose to sign a con-
tract with the street railway mems
union.
J. H. Cooknan, secretary and busi
ness agent of the local union, an
nounced that while the union viii
insist upon recognition of i. and upon
other provisions in the agreement the
company has been asked to enter into
with it's men, it is willing and anX-
ious to arbitrate. He gave every as
surance that the men will not act
hastily and that everything possible
will be done to avert a strike. He
believes that as a result of the con-
ference between the company officials
and the carmen's committee the mat
ter will be settled to the satisfaction
of all concerned.
To Abide by War Labor Board Plan
The company does not desire that
an erroneous impression shall be Gre
ated on this point" said Mr.. Allies.
1.-The company reiterates its declaration
that it will abide by the principles of the
War Labor Board However, this does
not mean or indicate that the company
will sign a contract with the local
street railway mems union. The COM
pany has no intention of signing such
q contract"
To Meet Committee Today.
ofacials OF the company, however.
wifi receive the special committee OF
carmen at o'clock this afternoon and
will probably then make known what
the company proposes to do regarding
the agreement drawn up by the car
mems union, which is in reality d for
NAL contract providing principally for
the continuation of the present wage
scale and the recognition of the union.
The committee will make its report
of this conference at special meet
ing of the union employees of this
system to be held at midnight to-
night The future course of the con-
ductbrs and motormen Will be decided
upon then. However. the next step of
the union will be voted upon at this
meeting, and it is strongly intimated by
officers of the union that in the event of
an unsatisfactory report from today's
the meeting will vote to
refer the matter to arbitration. 1t
will no doubt be the desire of the car
men to have the matter settled by the |
War Labor Board.
To Consider Fare Boxes.
At this meeting the proposition to !
install fare boxes in street cars also
will be brought up and it is predicted !
that the proposition will be unani-
n1ously approved as in the case of the ,
union carmen of the Capital Traction |
Company at their meeting Tuesday |
night.
The union is anxious to have the |
public of Washington understand /
clearly it's position in the matter of /
the recent arrests of carmen charged |
with knocking down fares. To make
a clearer understanding Secretary Cook |
man issued the following statement:
Statement on Arrests.
TN the first place I want to say
that the motor1nen and conductors on
the Washington Railway and Electric
Companys system did not organize
hold dishonesty. but have organized |
to defend the honest men that are on
the system. and TO assist in every way
possible to weed from their ranks
those who can be proven dishonest
THE object of this union is to place
nj hiober ,,la
IF intelligence, efficiency and skill; TO
encourage the formation of sick and I
ieath benefit funds in order that we
nay properly care for our sick and
1ury our dead; to establish schools of
for imparting a practical
knowledge of modern and improved
Methods and system of transportation
md trade matters generally; to encour-
lge the settlement of all disputes be-
ween employees and employers by Arb
to secure employment and
adequate pay for our work; TO reduce
he hours of labor, and by all legal
md proper means to elevate our moral,
Intellectual and social conditions.
1T should not be forgotten that the
employees of the street railway are law
.biding citizens and Just as much in
crested in the public welfare and
serve it in the District of Columbia
Is any one else, and feel that they
rave been unjustly accused and brand
ID as thieves Just because some few
.lleged dishonest and undesira BILE con-
luctorS get in their ranks.
Want Dishonest Men Ousted.
I'VE are just as anxious to rid the |
street railway systems of this class
# men as the public. and by organ ,
zfng we feel that we are in better
position to assist in no small way to ]
lrive any dishonest or undesirable |
conductors from our ranks as We
tand ready to assist and can assist.
And I repeat again that these men
lid not organize for the purpose of
defending any dishonest men, and will
10. allow any such men to remain
rembers of the organization.
.The employees of the Washington
and Electric Company have
cen organizing for some time. and
net Monday night to perfect their
rganization and have submitted to
he company a proposed agreement.
skiing the right to collective bar 9
aiming and for better working condi-
ions which they feel they are entitled !
o. and their donanSs are just and !
air.