The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-06-10
DRIVERS |RkED
BY ROBERTS
CHARGES
Appeal to Operators Fails;
Meeting Called for Today;
Violence Is Reported
(Continued from, Page y

strike committee.
Meet Again
Following the meeting at the
District Building, it was an
nounced that the strikers would
meet at 3 p. m. at Typographical
Hail. 400 block G st. N. w.
Leon Brill, head Of the Bell
company, announced that his
drivers were not in favor Of the
strike and would return to work
If police protection was afforded
them.
He was booed by strike drivers,
who charged that so per cent OF
the Bell drivers voted for the
strike.
The taxi strike had its repercus-
Sions on the House floor when
Representative Vincent L. Palmi-
sano CD of Maryland, acting as
chairman Of the District Commit
tee, began directing the business
Of District Day.
During discussion as to
whether Representative Jennings
Randolph CD of West Virginia
would be allowed to answer Rep
resentative Thomts l.. Blanton
CD of Texas, Representative
John E. Rankin CD of MiSsis-
sippi called attention of the
House to the strike. He said:
81 want to ask the chairman
Of the District Committee that
II he wants to do something for
the District of Columbia why
he doesn't look into this taxi
cab strike. These taxicab driv-
ers, in an attempt to hold up
the ShrinerS visiting the city,
are stopping cabs and making
the passengers get out. If the
District Committee wants to do
something really worth while
for the District residents and
the nation at large, let them
take this matter up and act on
It,"
Representative Reuben T. Wood
Cd of Missouri, answered Repre-
sentative Rankin with:
II desire to explain to the
gentleman from Mississippi that
these cab drivers who are on
strike are not members of any
union"
Representative Ed Taylor CD
OF Colorado, majority leader of
the House, then objected to any
other business except considera-
ton of the bills on the calendar
and the taXicab strike and the
crime committee report went over
until later in the day.
Intimidation Moves
Aroused by statement of Peo-
pies Counsel Roberts. charging
they intended to boost their rates,
and irked because they could not
increase their charges during the
Shrine convention. the taxicab
drivers reSorted to a general
Walkout.
Charging Mr.. Roberts had
branded them cheats and
crooks" a committee of the Cab
Drivers Protective Association
issued a formal statement in
which they outlined their dual
demands. The statement was
Immediately answered by a for
NAL declaration of the stand the
Shriners have taken in connec-
ton with the strike.
Shrine Statement
The ShrinerS' statement was
issued by Potentate Robert P.
Smith, director-general of the
Shrine convention.
Five strike leaders who said
they represented the Cab Drivers
Protective Association issued a
formal statement in connection
with the strike. The men were
Joseph Prulitsky, James Keefe,
B. M. Hohensee, Adolph Hohen-
see and Carey Quinn. Their
statement follows:
"The cab drivers of Washing
ton, unable longer to stomach
the callOuS and SlanderOuSIy
unfair expressions of its pub
lie officials as most recently
set forth by Peoples Counsel
Roberts, wherein the cab driv-
erS Of the city have been by
Implication branded as chisel-
erS and crooks to the incOm-
ing horde of ShrinerS, struck
in the early hours of Monday,
June 10.
LIST DEMANDS
Every cab company in the
city is tied up completely pend
ing the satisfactory conclusion
of two major demands. These
demands are:
Il. A public retractiOn of
the SlanderOus implication in
the public statements of
Peoples Counsel Roberts and
other officials incident to the
Shrine convention.
"2. An agreement between
the cab drivers and the cab
companies to establish zones
Of 20, 40, 60 and 80 cents.
Negotiations are in process
between the organized cab
drivers and the cab companies.
Chairman of the strike COM
mittee. AdOlphe HOnensee, bust
ness manager of the Cab priv.
erS Protective Union, speaking
for committee representing the
drivers from every taxi Organi-
Hation in the city, advises that
the strike will continue until at
least some Of the major grieY.