Evening star., 1942-06-25
Cab Pact Sought
As Strike Ends
Temporarily
Compromise Lets
Drivers Charge Old
Or New Rates


taxi drivers back on the job to-
day, members Of the House Dis
trict Committee and District Of
ficials began seeking a final
settlement of the grievances
which prompted the cab opera
tors to go on strike yesterday.
The walkout was ended, tenn
porarily, when representatives of the
strikers agreed to a compromise at
meeting of the House District
Committee late yesterday. Under
the agreement. the drivers may
operate under either the new zone
and rate schedule or the old rates.
Negotiations for final settlement
were being conducted today by
Chairman Randolph and other
members of the House Committee.
Commissioner Mason, Corporation
Counsel Richmond B. Keech and
other municipal officials.
Quick Decision Sought.
I'VE will lose no time" Repre-
sentative Randolph said. I'VE are
eager to have this trouble settled as
soon as possible to expedite the war
drive. We have pledged ourselves
to reach a decision as early as we
can. 1t is most important that the
dispute shall not delay the war
effort"
More than 800 strikers who as
sembled Yesterday in the caucus room
OF the Old House Office Building
agreed to return to work immediate
ly. pending final settlement of their
grievances, after hearing an appeal
from Edwin A. Glenn, public rela-
tlons officer of the United Taxicab
Drivers, Inc, which called the strike.
The emergency meeting was at
tended by Chairman Gregory Han
kin of the Public Utilities Commits
sion, Engineer Commissioner Kutz,
also a member of the PUG, and
other officials. On several occasions
Chairman Randolph was forced to
rap for order as the taxicab drivers
booed Mr.. Hankin, and at one point
he threatened to clear the room.
Chairman Hankin and Col. Kutz
contended the new zone and rate
system, the institution of which had
prompted the drivers to strike. was
in the best interests of the drivers
and would yield them more revenue.
Under strong pressure from mem
bers OF the committee Mr.. Hankin
proposed the compromise arrange
ment. He said that, while the new
rates must stay in effect, drivers
could operate tinder either the new
or old rates pending final settle
ment
Drivers Accept Proposal.
Then, when Mr.. Glenn called on
the strikers to say whether they
would return to work under those
conditions and allow him to con-
tlnue negotiations, they responded
with a unanimous showing of hands.
Representative DAlesandro, Dem
ocrat. of Maryland said he wanted
assurances there would be no vio-
lence or coercion of other drivers
and Mr.. Glenn then read an order
which he had issued earlier in the
day torbidding the strikers to inter-
fere in any way with nonstriking
drivers.
The strikers cheered when Police
Supt. Edward J. Kelly warned that
law and order must prevail and
there we're cheers for B. R. Tolson,
president of the Washington Ter
minal Railway Co., who declared
that uninterrupted taxicab service
at Union Station is essential to
prosecution of the war effort.
Mr.. Glenn told the committee
the drivers he represents are op-
posed to the new zone and rate
system and want the old arrange
ment re-established> with 10 cents
added to the rates for the second,
third and fourth zones. He said
the system of sub-zones provided
in the new plan is too complicated.
Meter System Favored.
Eventually, Mr.. Glenn said, men,
bers of the taxicab industry hope
to have a meter system put into
operation. This provides the truest
way to measure the service given
to patrons, he said.
The drivers union filed a motion
In District Court for rehearing on
its appeal from the PUG order fixing
the new rates. The strike was
ordered after the court dismissed the
petition. In the new motion the
union contended the court erred in
dismissing the appeal because the
allegations involved did show that
the findings of fact by the Utilities
Commission were unreasonable.
arbitrary and capricious.
Questioned by Representative Nc
Gehee, Democrat, of Mississippi,
Chairman Hankin said he found the
old rates mot compensatory" and
added he realized that the long
hours he spent working out the new
system ARE not appreciated by those
in whose interests they were
figured"
The meeting came after several
reports of minor violence caused
police officials to cancel all days off
of regular members of the force and
to call out all available auxiliary
policemen.
The streets of the city were vir-
tually empty of taXicabs during the
morning, but more drivers returned
to work in the afternoon after being
promised full police protection"
against strikers.
Most seriously affected by the
walkout was Union Station, which
had no taxicabs most of the day.
Extra streetcars and buses were
added to handle the crowds at the
station.