Evening journal., 1920-02-05
ASK REGULATION
OF AUTO BUSES
Trolleymen's Union Protests
Against Alleged Unfair
Competition
NOT COMPELLED
TO FILE REPORTS

Members OF the Trolleymens Union
composed OF motormen and conductors
Of the Wilmington and Philadelphia
traction Company have written a let
ier 70 the Board OF public Utility Com
missloncrs complalnins OF the alleged
unfsir competition by the Peoples Bus
Line, which operates between Whining
Ton. Eismere and Marshallton. The
troneymen point out that the bus line
has not been compelled by the Board
Of public Utility Commissioners TO
comply with the restrictions and regu-
lations imposed upon the trolley com
pany, and that the employees Of the bus
line are not organized in their own IN
teresis and the interest OF organized
labor generally. The following COM
munlcation was sent 10 the Utility
Board yesterday:
"Fally realizing that your honorable
commission has the jurisdiction to act
on matters pertaining to public utilities,
we desire 20 call 10 your attention
certain public utility that 20 date has
10 our knowledge been doing business
in the city OF Wilmington without In
any way giving consideration 10 re-
porting 60 your honorable commission
we refer 10 the Peoples Bus Line,
which Is operating larse automoDlle
buses in Wilmington, using the streets,
crowding narrow thorOughfares-op-
Grating without regulation on the part
OF any city body or your honorable
commission.
This organization has the honor TO
represent three hundred and nlneiy-sA
members, all OF whom are employed by
the local traction company As NOR
oughly-allve labor organization. we
have been insislent on getting a living
wage for our members, all OF whom are
trades unionists, who believe IN ana
advocate a square deal for the puDlic
whom we serve. Our members are eA-
perienced trolleymen. who have been
associated as emplt yes OF the trolley
company for a long space OF time. AS
citizens OF Wilmington we feel that
competitors Of the tractor lines
should be made TO obey the same
utility laws that the traction company
must obey. We believe the safety OF
the riders or passengers should be pro-
tocted The same as trolley passengers
are protected While, OF course, the
bus line is operating on funds being
secured through selling stock, we want
10 be- sure that II is safe and reliable
and think your honorable commission
should act by making the bus line re-
rort 20 you In the same manner thal
other utilities report.
"Our livelihood is gained throush
service on the traction system. II there
Is 10 be competition, that competition
should be fair. Il Is not fair when 1t
Is unregulaied, when Incompetent non
union drivers operate the large buses
10 the deiriment Of other vehicles that
use The streets on which the bus lines
operate, when our members who per-
form service on The street car lines
running on streets where the buses
run are compelled every day TO exer-
else the keenest judgment in using the
brakes on the street cars IN order 10
escape running into fhe monster-sized !
automobile buses which take up so
much room on the streets that they
are constantly retarding other tratlle /
and interfering with the schedules /
under which The trolley lines are oper- I
aled.
at The regusr meeting Of our asso- !
cia'lon the matter Of the automobile |
buses was discussed at great length, |
and decision was made 10 ask your 1
: lororable commission to assert your /
Jurisdiction in seeing that The Peoples /
Bus Line Is forced 10 abide by the |
same proper regulations that are en- /
forced on The traction company. II /
you desire 20 entertain our executive |
board 10 further explain our views. we /
win be delighted 30 hcEe the board 1
appear before your honorable COM |
mission ct your pleasure.
we feel that as citizens Of Whining /
con we are entitled to the same con- /
sidention thai Is accorded any other /
group of citizens. We are not entering 4
formal complaint we are asking that |
ihe Board Of Public utliiy Commis- |
sioners do IFS full duty by the entire 1
citizenship Of Wilmington, which IN |
eudes The individual members OF our /
organization"
The letter wss signed by NJ. II. Gal |
iagher, president Of Tie trolleymen's
association, and :. w. Newell. secre- !
iary. Il was atlested by John ]. Ma
honey G. e. Smith, William J.,Ilunier
ana George u. Han, Jr., OF the ex.s-
utiyc committee.
Persons Of this date using the Want