Evening star., 1938-10-13
UN|0N|ST FINED.
SO FOR |NC|T|NG
SEEKERS OF Jobs
Found Guilty of Disorder|y
Conduct at Scene of Near
Riot Yesterday.
JUDGE CASEY CITES
DANGEROUS SITUATION
Civil Service Commission Moves
to Prevent Recurrence Of
Yesterdays Disorder.

The near-riot at the fourth precinct
station house yesterday, when thou
sands of women stormed the station
for charwomen application blanks,
had its aftermath in Police Court to-
day when Edgar G. Brown. president
of the United Government Workers,
was found guilty of disorderly con-
duct at the scene yesterday.
Judge Walter j. Casey, pointing out
in his finding that the situation there
was extremely potentially danger
ous," fined the defendant $40. Judge
Casey also said he was taking into
consideration testimony that Brown
"incited" the crowd when maintenance
Of order was an absolute necessity.
Brown. who leads an organization
which has about l 400 charwomen as
members, testified that he had gone
to the station to learn of change
IN time when application blanks for
the 1000 positions were to be handed
out.
Upon attempting to enter the precinct
station, Brown said he was told by
Oficer D. H. Mayo that every one
must go back into the alley, and. upon
informing the officer that he wanted
to see members of the Civil Service
Commission, was arrested.
Capt. Letterman Testifies.
Capt. Oscar j. Letterman of No. 4
precinct testified that Il never saw
a more unruly crowd, but it must be
taken into consideration that they
were all women looking for a job"
Capt. Letterman said that the women
were howling being crushed and
trampled and that the situation was
extremely dangerous.
In my experience with crowds" the
captain said, ANY person refusing to
get behind line which had been
thrown up, might incite a riot"
Judge Casey, in his decision, pointed
out that certain social and economic
factors must be taken into considera- .
ton when forming an opinion about
the situation yesterday, but that never
theless there was extreme necessity
for maintaining order. Whatever the
intentions of the defendant were, Judge
Casey said, Officer Mayos testimony
that Brown was unruly must b taken.
Two character witnesses, DR.. William
J. Tompkins. recorder of deeds of the
District. and the Rev. r. w. Brooks,
pastor of the Lincoln Temple Congre-
gational Church, testified for the de-
fendant Brown told the court that
for five years he had been adviser on
Negro affairs of the Civilian Conserva-
ton Corps.
Meanwhile, the Civil Service Com
mission determined to avoid recur-
renee Of the disorder that yesterday
marked efforts to register women for
jobs as Government charwomen, it was
said today has decided definitely that
a new plan must be devised for dis
tributing applications when this char
acter of mass employment is con-
templated.
No specific arrangement has been
given consideration and in view of the
fact that it will not be necessary again
to seek this class of workers for an
other year or IS months, the commits
sion, it was added, has plenty of time
to fix on a new method However,
the condition that developed yesterday
when two persons were injured as
thousands of women-principally COL
ored-got out of hand and broke police
lines in an effort to get into the fourth
precinct, where the employment
blanks we're being distributed, has con-
vinced the commission that changed
procedure is necessary.
Trouble Unexpected.
The trouble was entirely unexpected,
it was explained, as for Is years the
commission has followed this same
plan Of recruiting charwomen, and
in some cases male laborers. For such
employment the commission has
sought to keep down the number Of
applicants to the point of meeting
reasonable needs, and consequently has
limited the number of applications to
be distributed, and then handed these
out on a first come -flrst-served basis.
If no restrictions were applied, it was
amplif1ed, the commission would be
showed under by applicants when the
requisites for employment are so SIM
ple-good physical condition.
The District of Columbia Communist
party will hold meeting at Z pm.
tomorrow at Fourth and E streets to
protest against the manner which. they
claim, the police used in handling the
throngs.