The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-08-01
BY BILL PRICE.

BY BILL PRICE.
The people of washington will be
paying street car fares Of s or 10
cents within less than nine months,
according to the best posted authori-
ties today.
The scents fare will soon 20 glim-
mering and what the fare will even
tually be depends wholly on circum-
stances.
The big increase will be due to de-
mands to be made before October
upon the Washington Railway and
Electric Company by its LOO mo-
tormen and conductors for increases
of pay from the present scale.
Presumably the union men OF this
line feel that they will be able to en-
force their demands, which will be
agreed upon at meetings to be held at
frequent intervals in the next few
weeks. Their present scale of wages
43 to 4S cents per hour. expires Oc-
tober 1 under the terms of the recent
award made by the War Labor Board.
Aotormen and conductors for the first
three months receive 43 cents per
hour. for the next nine months 46
cents per hour and after that As
cents.
The carmen Of this line are talking
of an increase running as high as 20
cents an hour for men OF years ex-
perience. The more conservative be-
lieve that they will be able to get 90
cents, with So cents as q beginners
wages.
Capital Traction Involved
The Capital Traction Company is
now employing about $50 motormen
and conductors. Their agreement
with the company runs until the last
of next March. They belong to the
Amalgamated Union. Although these
men are talking of more wages their
agreement prevents their taking &C
tion.
In the event that the Washington
Railway and Electric union men en-
force their demands, however, IT
would be impossible for the Capital
Traction to keep its employees with
out paying the same scale as the
other road. Railroad men said today
that whatever is eventually paid on
one line will have to be paid on an
other.
In the event tht the carmen OBJ
tain an Increase of II cents an hour
for their work, a percentage of about
Is over existing pay, the Public Utili-
ties Commission will be called on TO
increase fare to an extent permitting
the two roads to earn at least ONE
MILLIONS DOLLARS more per year
than they do now. and the bulk Of IL
Will 20 into increase wages.
There are, as stated, about LOO
carmen on the Washington Railway
and Electric and $50 on the Capital
Traction. a total of 1850. The men
now work about an average of nine
increase for nine hours per day would
average for each man S1.0S more per
day, and the total for a year for all
would be approximately $735,0 per
year for both roads, the larger bur
den falling on the Washington Rail
way and Electric because of the lar
ger number OF men employed. That
road also operates a much larger
number OF cars.
Other Employees to Ask Increases.
Railroad men said today that It
would be impossible to increase the
wages Of carmen without also increas-
ing the wages of other employees, in
GLIDING those in the shops and else
where. The Capital Traction has $50
employees who do not run cars The
W. r. & E.. including the Potomac
Electric Light Company, has 1900
employees besides carmen.
The estimate today was that on a
conservative basis the people of
washington will have to pay out. il
there is a substantial increase to car
men. not less than S1,00o,OOO more
per year in car fares, in addition to
whatever increases are granted the
w R. & E for additional revenues to
meet its operating expenses and inter
est on its bonded obligations
There is probably nothing far wrong
IN the statement that the total exac-
tons from the Washington public in
side Of another two months will ap-
proximate 81 500 900 per year.
Answer of Railway Company.
The answer of the w. r. e. E to
the formal demands that will be made
upon il by the carmen will be that
there is no money to pay increase of
wages. and that this can not be done
without sufficient revenues to meet
the demands.
The Public Utilities Commission will
undoubtedly be called in as arbiters
of the wage dispute and that body will
practically settle what the wage In
creases will be for the simple reason
that Il is the authority that tells the
public what its fares must be.
There Is no probability that the
W. r. 4 z. will attempt TO go through
another strike. 1t will seek to ad-
Just the wage question in co-opera-
ton with the Public Utilities Commits
sion. Permitting the men to strike
will be the result Of inability to fnan.
cially meet the demands Of the men
or Of failure Of public opinion TO sus-
tain those demands.
The agitation among men OF both
companies for increased wages has