Evening star., 1942-12-16
Capital Transit
10 CoIored
Bus Drivers
Compony Agrees to
Abide by RooseveIt's
Employment PIon

The order Of the Presidents Com
mittee on Fair Employment Prac-
tice calling for hiring Of street car
and bus operators regardless OF race
or color became effective here today
following announcement last night
by E. D. Merrill, president of the
Capital Transit Co., that the COM
pany would abide by the President s
wishes.
Nearly 1,400 emloyes, meeting be-
hind closed doors in the Commerce
Department auditorium, were In
formed Of the action after hearing
War Manpower Chief Paul v. Nc
Mutt urge the employees not to
stand in the way of the hiring Of
extra men to relieve the rush hour
shortage of transit operators.
The order said the company must
hire persons "solely on the basis of
their qualifications and without re-
gard to race, color, creed or ma
tional origin" This will open the
way for the employment of colored
streetcar and bus operators.
Noisy Session Reported.
Following the two-hour meeting
workers told reporters who waited
outside that the session had been
a boisterous one. Speakers were
frequently interrupted by question
ers, they said.
In addition to hearing from Mr..
Merrill and Commissioner McNutt,
the employees were addressed by
Otto Boyer Of the ONCE of Defense
Transportation, John H. Hanna
chairman Of the transit company
board; Seton Darr, union counsel
and j. G. Bigelow, president of the
union.
Mr.. Merrill told the employees that
it was the will of the Government
that the company follow the order
and that this must be followed. He
outlined the steps leading up to
the Governments action and said
that every avenue had been ex-
plored before the company's de-
cision was reached.
The transit president also dis
closed that women between the ages
of Is and IS are being sought
as streetcar and bus operators be-
cause of the necessities of the
manpower situation He said ap-
plicants would be interviewed i'm
mediately and placed on transit
vehicles as quickly as possible.
In addition to being between the
ages of 25. and IS a woman must
have . minimum height of s feet 4
inches and weigh not less than 13C
pounds 4 She must be able to work
during the morning and afternoon
rush hours. No conductors are
neededsa this time, he said.
Preferences will be given to rela-
tives and friends of present transit
employees.
The manpower chief was quoted
as saying it was the workers patri-
otto duty not to stand in the way
OF hiring of more men. He asked
them to act as workers in an essen
tial industry and accept the order
as they would any patriotic measure
Workers to Meet Tonight.
The Amalgamated Association OF
Street Car Electric Railway and
Bus Operators was to hold its reg
ular business meeting of the month
tonight at the Knights of Pythias
Hall, but Mr.. Bigelow said the order
would not be discussed
He said the union also believed
in the hiring of transit employees ir-
respective of their race or color. and
that accordingly the matter would
not come up for discussion.
Many employees leaving the audi
torium last night declared they
would resign If colored persons were
hired. Some took the stand that
they did not feel like sharing new
pay increases with workers who had
done nothing to help them re,
higher rates.
Company officials said the order
stood and declined further com
ment.
Capital Transit Co. has been
named war industry by VINO and
accordingly the executive order bar
ring discrimination in war indus
tries was issued.