Evening star., 1936-08-04
LABOR UNIONS HIT.
TRANSIT COMPANY.
0NE-MAN CARPLAN
Deny Capital Transit in
Financial Straits in
Utilities Brief.
EARNINGS FOR 1884
DECLARED 100000
Less Safety and Slower Trans.
portation Seen as Result of
Contemplated Change.

Denial that the Capital Transit Co
Is in such financial straits as to war
rant placing 40 additional street cars
in one-man operation was made today
by counsel for the Central Labor
Union in brief filed with the Public
Utilities Commission.
Charlton Ogburn, attorney, and Will
liam w. Keeler, chairman of the Pub
lie Utilities Committee of the central
Union body, insisted that the only
Legitimate" argument for the COM
pany's plan was based on financial
savings that would accrue.
Earnings Reported.
Ogburn and Keeler declared that
figures produced at the recent hearing
showed the company in 1884 earned
approximately 100000. after depre.
citation and payment of interest. and
that of this sum $240,00O had been de.
clared as dividends on common stock
The Arbitration Board decision add
ed about s670,000 to labor costs. This
did not touch dividends, said the
union.
The operating revenues for the first
elk months of this year were SIS, ,120, ,484
os compared with S4.62l 1856 in the
first six months of 1885, an increase
of 1913 per cent, or s449,147," the brief
said. This sum is more than two
thirds of the increased labor costs
awarded last Summer. There have
been no other legitimate operating cost
increases.
IF the net earnings show less
therefore, it is simply because the COM
pany is adding to depreciation.
For June, 1886, the company has in
creased its depreciation by 3,138 for
one month, or an increase in deprecia-
ton of 64.5 per cent. 1t would seem
that this increase of depreciation by
nearly two-thirds is subject to con-
siderable criticism"
Passengers Increase.
The brief declared the number of
company passengers increased by 1872
per cent during the first six months
Of this year and that taxes had de-
creased by 2.5 per cent since 1885.
The union insisted that one-man
cars are slower and less safe than two
man cars. In this connection it took
issue with survey data submitted to
the commission by its chief engineer,
Fred A. Sager.
The Central Labor Union decided
last night not to sponsor a formal
observance of Labor day, with a big
public demonstration, this year.
The proposal for such a demonstra-
tion. put forward by the Walters
Union was referred to the Resolutions
Committee, and met with a report Of
"non-concurrence."
Time Declared Too Short.
In explaining why the Resolutions
Committee did not favor such a
demonstration, Charles E. Sands said
the time now was too short to prepare
for such an observance, and too many
representatives of organized labor al
ready had made plans to be out of
the city. The committee was upheld
by vote Of SO to 27.
Reports on Mechanics Strike.
Status of the automobile me-
chanics' strike was explained by Jack
Anderson, Grand Lodge representa-
tive of the International Association
of Machinists. At his request, the
central body placed on the unfair
list the names of II automobile firms
throughout the city where the strike
is in progress. Anderson asked Or
eanized labor to patronize only union
shops. He declared that in spite of
the fact that some strikers had re-
turned to two shops, the mechanics
union had not given up the fight by
any means, and hoped with the sup
port of organized labor to win.
John Locher, Central president,
presided.
The Washington Newspaper Guild
has voted to affiliate with the union,
1t was announced by Albert N. Dem
mis-, news editor of the Trades Union
ist, a member of the guild. For some
time the guild has been represented
by "fraternal' delegates, but local
guilds are now eligible for full men,
bership in A. F. Of L. units. The
Washington guild also voted to join
the Maryland State and District Fed
Grafton of Labor, Dennis said, and the
Washington Union Label League.