Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-13
WITH
CAR men BY v. RE.
MAY AVERT STRIKE
Workers Say Contract With
Union Is Refused; to Talk
Wages and Conditions.
OFFICIALS ARE HOPEFUL:
MEDIATOR MAY BE ASKED
Further Discussion Will Be Held
Next Tuesday-Men to Meet
Tomorrow Night.

= VA tACA OlSCuSSIVu WILL DC x2CAu
Next Tuesday-Men to Meet
Tomorrow Night.
Officials of the Washington Railway
and Electric Company arc hopeful that
a strike on their lines may be avoided
as the result of conference with a
committee representing the union men
today.
The committee. representing the men
stated as they left the conference that
William F. Ham. president Of the COM
pany. remained firm in his decision not
to enter into contract with the Anal
gamated Association of Street and E,lec-
trio Railway Employees. but agreed TO
discuss wages and working conditions
with them at another conference next
Tuesday
Albert f. Jones. national officer
of the Amalgamated. said that it is up
to the men. as whole, to decide at
their meeting tomorrow night whether
they are willing to waive the demand
for contract with the company and
proceed with consideration of wages and
| working conditions.
II the men insist on the demand
that the company enter into a con-
tract with the union a strike will en-
sue.
Directors' Meeting Called.
! A meeting of the board of directors
| of the Washington Railway and Elec
trio Company will be held tomorrow
afternoon at $3.50 o'clock. when an ef
! fort to settle the threatened strike
/; will be made. Announcement to this
effect was made this afternoon by
Milton L. Allies, chairman of the board
of directors.
It have no doubt that every effort
will be made at the meeting to effect
an amicable settlement" said Mr..
Allies. Il hope this effort will be made
! by both sides"
| Mr. Ham said the company is consid-
erinE asking the Department of Labor
| to name a mediator to help settle the
dispute with the employees in the
event that other efforts fail If me-
| diator is asked for, Rowland B. Ma
hany probably will be designated.
| Following the conference this morn
| ing. which was held at the company's
ofices. Mr.. Ham gave out the follow
| ing statement:
| Action Taken This Slornln1. -.
| Action for a walkout. in case OF final
refusal of President Ham to sign con-
tracts with carmen and power plant en-
ployes. was taken at 40 am. today,
| by the Amalgamated Association Of
Street and Electric Railway Employees,
meeting in Waters Hall. A strike vote
will be taken by power plant employees
tonight. Leaders promised carmen their
support at this mornings meeting.
The association resolved to present an
ultimatum to the Washington Railway
and Electric Company, declaring that IL
demands were not met by tomorrow
midnight the men would walk out.
Union leaders claim a membership OF
more than 500 OF the LOO employees Of
the system.
What Strike Would Mean.
A strike would mean the following,
it was generally accepted:
Hospitals. virtually all or which in
the District are dependent upon the
Potomac Electric Power Company for
current. would be unable to function
in branches needing electricity.
The Arlington wireless station OF
the Navy. which obtains its power
from the p. E. p. Co. would be silent,
unless power from some other source
could be obtained.
The Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company would not have car
running on its lines
Business and Industrial plants OF
Washington using p. E. P. Co. electric
current for power would be crippled
by lack Of electricity.
Many government buildings. de-
pendent upon the electric power COM
pany for current. would be seriously
handicapped.
Householders without gas for light
ing purposes would have to resort to
the oil lamp or be in darkness.
Promise United support.
Firemen and oilers. stationary en-
gineers. machinistS and substation
men of the Potomac Electric Power
Company. through representatives at
the midnight meeting. have virtually
promised united support. In the case
of the firemen and oilers. 1t was
stated, permission to strike already
has been requested from the interna-
tional organization.
The Washington electric system. II
was announced. is virtually controlled
through the substations. The main
plant distributes power to various
substations, which in turn redis-
tribute il to the consumer. Thomas
H. Jones. representing substation en-
ployes, announced that the men were
ready to walk out 100 per cent strong.
This alone would cripple the system.
il is believed, and the action Of fire-
men and engineers would paralyze it.
The principal demand is for signed
contract. Wage increases to the 81:
54 and 56 cent scale Of the Capital
Traction Company are demanded by
carmen. Power plant men demand
union wages as in force throughout
the city The company is said to be
the present time.
Report ON w. r. 4 e.
The meeting last night opened with
a report from the committee sent for
a conference with President Ham of
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company A. L. Jones. international
vice president of the Amalgamated.
was installed in the chair. The report
was made saying that the company
refused to sign a contract and to in
crease wages.
\. A. James. of the f1remen and
oilers, Thomas H. Jones. of the sta
tionary engineers and substation
men. and Charles Frazier. of the ma
chinists' union, reported that their
respective organizations would be
ready to back up any action taken by
the carmen.
Following this a strike vote was
taken. With only three dissenting
votes the association resolved to
present to President Ham an ultima
tum expiring Wednesday midnight.
and to walk out If demands were not
granted.
I'VE have today had q satisfactory
with committee OF our
employees. members of the Amalga-
mated Association. in regard to GER
tain demands they made upon the
company.
Among these demands is an in
crease OF cents per hour in wages.
to bring our employees to the scale