The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-05-03
ONE MAN CAR
means SLAVERY
WORSE FOR men
Cleveland Carmen to
Get Dirty Deal
(By a Worker Correspondent

|
In a letter to the Daily Worker
few months ago l then wrote that
the Cleveland Railway Company
was developing means to enable the
bosses to cut down on their operat-
ing force. They first attempted to
operate articulated, two-car trains
on Euclid Avenue with two men in
stead of the usual three. This was
failure, partly because "our better
class patrons" who use this line are
too stupid to learn to use the treadle
doors with which the rear unit of
these cars are fitted, and partly be-
cause the conductors did not relish
having their work doubled.
We settled the matter by letting
the parasites riding in the rear car
fish for themselves. In few days
& fare-box was installed in the rear
car and a conductor to take care of
lit.
Propose One Man Cars.
Now along comes .Ballou, city
transportation commissioner and a
tool of the Railway Company, and
announces that in order to stave off
another rise in car fare, one-man
cars will have to be introduced on a
number of lines. He also proposes
to take away the half-fare from the
school children.
The first proposal if put into eff
feet, will be dangerous for the car
riders besides throwing a consider
able number of car men out of en-
ployment, and the second will work
hardships on other working class
people. The lines on which the trac-
ton commissioner proposes to OPP
crate the one-man cars are those
serving the working class districts,
lines on which the car service is al
ready scandalously inadequate, and
the cars of an antique type.
Workers Get Anticipated Service
While the working class is being
forced to ride in these dangerous
antique contraptions, new de luxe,
parlour trains with Individual seats
are being operated on those lines
serving the "better class sections"
of The city.
Wage earners G. Cleveland, what
are you going to do about the mat
ter? How much longer are you 60
ing to permit the traction commits
sioner and the Railway Companys'
hirelings in the city council to crowd
yo in these stuffy contraptions they
call street cars, while the elite ride
to and fro in luxuriously-fitted
trains and buses bought with your
money?
R. r. Co. Strikebreaking Schemes.
Do you know that the Railway
Company with the supposed permits
sion of the city council are spend
ing large sums of your money in in
surance and welfare schemes to
prevent the carmen from revolving
against their intolerable working
conditions? Yes, Mr.. Ballou wants
to stave off another increase in car
fare. But how? By jeopardizing
your lives by packing you in antique
one-man cars and squeezing nine
and seven cents fare out of your lit
tie children. If they want to pre-
vent an increase in fare, why not
start with the bosses salaries? Why
not wipe out that supposed "mys-
ferrous item" miscellaneous expenses.
Carmen of Cleveland, this is case
in which we must get all the other
workers interested. We must bring
resolutions before our union meet
ings and force our officers to call
public meetings to discuss the mat
ter. Have progressive labor speak
ers address these meetings, pointing
out the gouging that is being car
ried on by the Railway Company
and their hirelings in the city
council, and develop means to stop
it, because if we allow the company
to put over this one-man car stuff
the next thing they will be handing
us will be a cut in wages. Do not
expect any help from our union Of
ficials. They are working hand in
hand with the railway company.
Progressives in the union, it is time
we woke up. Too long have we al
lowed Shultz, Rea and Company to
run Division 26S as their own pri-
vate business. Let US form barn
committees and progressive frac-
ton in the union and get these la
Dor takers on the run.
CARMAN NO. 2.