The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-03-03

ship of their wives and Oh;
When the Public Utilities Com
mission reduced car fares one.third
Of cent, Colonel Keller suggested
informally that the Washington
Railway and Electric Company re-
duce the wages of it's platform men
to make up the deficit that would
result from the lower fare.
The colonel had planned to write
into the order fixing the new fare
clause which would permit the
traction company to make the re-
duction. He was prevented from
doing so, II Is said. by one Of the
other Commissioners. who declared
that should the reduction be made
and strike follow. the Utilities
Commission would be called on to
sit In judgment on the case.
Resent Slur.
81 would like TO inform Colonel
Keller that all street railway men
are not entirely uneducated or I'M
skilled" says Conductor Elbridge
d. McNair. OF 407 o street south
west
1T does not take an act of Con-
gress or confirmation OF the Senate
to make a gentleman of some OF
them
I'VE work in many cases seven
days a week, and until recently very
few of those days were less than ten
hours. II In essential that a num-
| Der Of US use twelve to fourteen
hours a day in order to make the
nine or ten hours for which we are
paid.
This Is necessary in order TO get
the public to and from their places
| of employment. Surely we are en-
titled to some consideration on that
point.
Colonel Keller speaks OF us as IL
We were crowded with ignorance
and illiteracy.
Proud OF Jobs.
| II wish TO impart to Colonel Kel.
| Ter that most of the street railwa y
men have the best education that
our public school system affords
II that with practical experience Is
inadequ ate, perhaps ne will use his
influence toward improving the pub,
lie schools Of the District OF Colum.
! bia.
1T may not require so much
skill, but l prize very highly my two
years experience as a conductor Of
the Washington Railway and Elec.
trio Company.
According to Chief Engineer r.
A. Klotz, who is quoted in an after.
non paper OF February 2S, the En-.
gineer Commissioner In an army
man and cannot be expected to un.
derstand utilities with which he
never comes in contact in his army
work.
'It the Engineer Commissioner
II not familiar with the duties OF his
office there is something lacking.
lis II education or skill?
We would appreciate an explana.
ton OF the unjust criticism given
the motormen and conductors of the
| w. r. 4 +. Co.
Claude f. Campbell, OF 314 Nc
Lean avenue southwest, assails
Colonel Keller for his attack on the
'uneducated and unskilled" street
railway employe.
at Is true" says Campbell that
we all can't secure a college educa-
ton at the Governments expense,
as did Colonel Keller.
"As regards the wage question,
| lDt hliO" NhC uNH
III an electric railway trainman
makes 81 800 per year he must work
! ten or eleven hours day every
day in the year. regardless OF
weather, holidays. etc.
Draws Comparison.
III he worked as people in other
lines Of work-eight hours a day
and a half day on Saturday-at his
present rate Of pay, his income per
week would be s24.64, or less than
81 200 per year, and he would not
make this unless he had been EN-.
! ployed one year or longer.
"A trainman spends ten days
breaking in without pay, and must
supply his own uniform. and then
must buck the extra list at all
hours Of the day and night for
two years before he gets a regular
run.
while standing extra he gets
half pay of 26 cents per hour. He
| gets 81 cents per hour II he catches
a run.
After he gets regular run. II
he works ten or eleven hours a day
every day in the year in all kind Of
weather he will make 81, 800 a year.
There is no employment where
the discipline is so strict and the
Job requires men with good level
heads always on the Job, and with at
! least as much education as painters