Evening star., 1936-10-06
UTILITIES BOARD
CUSTER IS URGED
BY LABOR UNIONS
Central Body Charges Men,
bers Ignore Interests
of the Public.
ONE.MAN CAR EDICT
IS BASIS FOR ACTION
Body Petitions President Roose.
velt to Ask Resignation
of Commissioners.

Charging the Public Utilities Com
had totally ignored" the in
terests of the public, and Of employees
of the Capital Transit Co., in author
izing the extension of one-man cars
here, the Central Labor Union last
night petitioned President Roosevelt
to ask for resignation Of members Of
the commission.
A barrage Of criticism was cut loose
on the commission at the meeting,
led by w. w. Keeler, veteran chair
man of the Public Utilities Committee
of the central body, whose name led
the list of signatures on the resolu-
ton. The action Of the commission
was condemned" Keeler branded 1t
q utilities commission!" leaving out
the word public"
The Central Labor Union heard .
comprehensive analysis Of the work
OF the District Unemployment Com
pensation Board, by its director, John
A. Marshall. He predicted that within
about 80 days each OF about 10000
employees listed by the board would re-
ceive in the mail communications
which will lead to each employe re-
ceiving an identifying number under
the new law. Marshall outlined the
broad scope Of the boards activities,
explained that mistakes" might be
expected In operation Of the law, but
asked for tolerance on the part Of all
concerned until it could be made to
function smoothly.
Marshall praised employers gen.
orally for their cooperation here, and
said most of the difficulty in collect.
ing the. per cent payroll tax was
due to ignorance or misunderstanding
on the part of small firms employing
only a few persons. He called on
working people to help the board
keep an accurate check on firms which
should report. John A. Locher, presi-
dent of the Central Labor Union,
said that as labor's representative on
the Unemployment Compensation
he had insisted on organized labor
paying its full share Of the tax for
its own employees.
Million Already Collected.
About 100000 already has been
collected from the payroll tax here.
Marshall explained, and has been
placed in the Treasury for meeting
claims which can be paid beginning
January /, 1898. The benefits. he ex-
planned, will be based on the amount
Of work performed prior to that time,
and will run up to SIS week, for q
maximum Of 16 weeks.
Under local law employers make
all the cash contribution and the
employees make no cash contribution,
Marshall explained. In answer to
he emphasized that it is
against the law for an employer to
try to pass the tax on to the en-
ploye. He said the only two instances
where employers had attempted to
pass on the tax had apparently been
due to ignorance of the law.
Answering further questions, Mar
shall said so far the board had re-
ceived excellent cooperation" from
hotels, but the complicated matter of
extra work at banquets. and over
time for walters and other employees
was being worked out. He welcomed
cooperation on this matter from the
business agent Of the hotel employees
union.
Employees will receive credit for their
work in the District of Columbia
II they move to another State having
an unemployment compensation law,
Marshall explained, but details for
providing the necessary interstate
credentials had not yet been worked
out.
On motion of clyde Mills, vice prssi-
dent of the Central Labor Union, Mar
shall was extended not only the "ap-
probation" of the organization, but
the offer of its Cooperation" in
helping the board to administer the
law.
Commission Attack Caustic.
The Public Utilities Commission
came In for caustic attacks In the
long resolution adopted by the central
body. It recited that President Roose-
welt had emphasized that human in
terts are paramount to the material
interests" and had called on indus
tries to help relieve the unempioy-
ment situation.
The Public Utilities Commission, &C.
cording to the resolution, ignoring
the interests of the public and hu-
manity have ceased to be Of service
to the public"
1.-The interests Of the citizens Of
the District Of Columbia can best be
served" it stated, "by the resignation
of the present commissioners"
The resolution "condemned' the
action Of the commission and petit
tioined the President ito ask for the
resignation Of the members Of the
District Of Columbia Public Utilities
Commission, realizing that In the
above action they have forfeited the
confidence Of the public" Besides
Keeler, other signatures on the reso-
luton were B. Il. Ashley and James
p. Googe Of the committee.
Frank ]. Coleman, secretary Of the
Central Labor Union, said he was :'re-
liably" informed that the Capital
Transit Co. had ordered its cars re-
conditioned for one-man operation
even before the hearings before the
commission were finished"
Only one voice was raised against
the resolution. Clarke j. McI.ane of
American Federation Of Government
Employees, Lodge No. 18, Library Of
Congress, said he could not oppose
such an action of the Public Utilities
Commission for fear Of expulsion. !"