The Washington times., 1920-01-24
How a Five Cents Fare Runs
PhiIadelphia's Car Lines
By BILL PRICE.


The people of Philadelphia have not yet paid above
cents for street ride in that city, despite the huge
increases in expenditures during the war; and their SINGLE
traction company has paid TO Its per cent on
investment; there have been strikes and the motomen
and other employees said to be the best paid
in the United States.
The answer is that all the lines under
pany whose creed is cooperation between employer and
empoye and with the public The motto which President
Mten of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company hangs
before his thousands Of workers. and which they live up to-
higher fares" Pick up all the nickes encourage rid
ng smile always heps win the public by alertnes cour
tey, and the best possible service constantly before
the men who operate the
This company added $1750000 to its annual pay roll
in August 19ls and in August 919 added $2250OOo more
The president told his co-workers that "We will
the cost by Withdrawing all duplicated unnecessary
ice and removing all wasted effort in schedules Our
aim is to build wages up and keep fares down."
There will continue to be wasted effort in this city 80
long as there two companies heavy overhead charges
to two sets of and duplication OF service
because there is no interchange OF cars.
COOPERATION is the plan that has enabled the
Philadelphia company to maintain scent fares With uni
fcaton Of effort has done wonders The people not
eternally upset over increasing car fares
That company has rides to sell. It's motomen and
conductors statesmen who try to encourage riding
the opeak hours Their selling asset is cheerfulness
They win with smiles or lose with grouches Public
patronage has increased immensely.
When President Mitten took charge in 1911 everybody
dsguntled and he inherited two strikes at the begin
ming Since then he has had There between
10000 and 200 employees who not unionized to the
extent of afaton with the American Federation of Labor
But they have their organization the company recog
nzes collective bargaining their part pensions paid
to aged seriously injured workers. and lives insured
Between 1911 and 1918 wages increased 154 per cent
from average of $622 to $3.50 per Motormen
and conductors average $9O per year and average 95
hours per day to make this large percentage of the
regular owing to the distribution of peak hours
In this city, due to the fact that nearly everybody goes to
work the hour and quits about the te hers
large percentage of swing runs which break up the day
for the conductors and motormen.
The company has per cent less employees than in 90
but its efficiency has increased close to 100 per cent owing
to effective cooperation all around.
1t is profound pity that the lessons taught in Pha.
depha cannot impress Congress to force consolidation in
Washington Unless Congress does take affirmative action
there will be merger There too many conflicting
interests involved in the present private ownership plan
here for voluntary merger to be brought about
The people of Washington entitled to 5-CENTS
FARE The Utilities Commission has expressed the official
opinion that under management, with certain relief
from taxes the street railways here give better service
on cents than is given on 7 cents
Why should Congress force showdown present
cradle, unfair conditions be done away With