Evening star., 1945-11-22
Transit Service
After
0DT Seizure
Holiday Schedule in
Use; Full Operation
Expected Tomorrow

Use; Full Operation
Expected Tomorrow
PICTURE LAYOUT on transit work
stoppage as U. S. takes over OPP
erations. Page B-1
TEXT OF STATEMENT and order
by President Truman in transit
crisis. Page AS
UNION TAXI DRIVERS set Today
truce for PUG to act on griev-
anceS. Page AS
Washington's transportation
system moved at normal holiday
tempo today under the guidance
of the Federal Government, and
prospects were good for a full
service for tomorrow's workday
rush.
Thanksgiving workers and church,
goers found buses and streetcars
operating this morning as Capital
Transit Co. employees returned from
yesterdays walkout as employees of
Uncle Sam.
The back-to-work trend, slow at
first as the transit employees debated
the Government order ending their
12-hour stoppage yesterday, gained
momentum today as company off,
cials reported the usual holiday
schedule of $50 vehicles was being
manned by 1,100 operators.
Hostility Expected to End.
This was about one-fourth of the
employees affected by the strike and
subsequent seizure by the Office Of
Defense Transportation at the bid
ding Of President Truman.
Whether the full rush-hour crew
Of 1850 vehicles, operated by 1000
employees, would be on the streets
tomorrow was conjectural. Union
spokesmen we're unable to speak for
the membership since the back-to-
work order of Guy A. Richardson.
the ODT-appointed transit company
manager, was made as an appeal to
the individual members.
However, sentiment of union MEM
bers was that most of the operators,
given time to consider the issue,
would drop whatever hostility they
entertained and return to the Job.
Overtures for Accord Started.
With the second wholesale tieup
of Capital transportation in tive
weeks quickly alleviated, principals
in the wage dispute began overtures
toward resumption Of contract nego-
tiations.
The union is asking 30-cent- an
hour raise, to bring their hourly pay
to $l25. Actually, the transit work
ers now are paid Sl.02 an hour, in
Guiding base pay of 95 cents an hour
! and T-cent wartime bonus the
company has agreed to incorporate
j in the basic wage structure. The
prevailing scale will stand during
Government operation, pending q
new contract.
Drivers are working at least 48
hours a week now with time and
a half over 40 hours. Their de-
mands for a higher base pay are
predicated on the imminence of re-
turn to the 40-hour work week,
| although the company has offered
to Stipulate 48-hour week during
the present contract, expiring
June 80.
Union to Meet Richardson.
| Samuel F. Berrong, international
representative of the transit work.
ers union, said he and local Off
cials proposed to call today on
Mr.. Richardson to determine a
course of negotiation.
Gilbert McCutcheon, one of three
Labor Department conciliators who
attempted to place the dispute in
arbitration, said the Governments
seizure had ended their usefulness
at this time, but said they were
standing by in case their services
are needed later.
The Washington Central Labor
Union entered the controversy to-
day by. requesting the District
Public Utilities Commission to ex-
anime transit company books to
determine whether the company
could raise wages without increas-
ing fares.
4 ICC Aid May Be Asked.
Frank j. Coleman, secretary of the
AFL organization, suggested that if
1t were not possible for PUG to make
this survey, the Interstate Com
merce Commission be requested to
supply a staff of economists to as
; sist.
:. Despite apparent opposition of
some union men to return to work,
few outbursts of factional disturb
ances were reported. Police said they
made four calls last night on COM
plants some streetcar operators
. were being rl1olested, but no arrests
/ were reported.
# Cessation of the strike came toe
late to avert one of the city's worst
/ traffic jams. For more than two
hours, beginning at 4:30 pm, home-
J ward-bound workers struggled yes
/ terday in a creeping tide of traf-
J, fic, so dense in some sectors it re-
| Iquired an hour to traverse a few
blocks.
The worst snarls developed or
Constitution avenue, K street and
: Fourteenth street NV, where cars
D Olcrept bumper to bumper, getting
A many of their passengers home late
: for dinner.
) Truman Criticizes Union.
& President Truman, in statement
accompanying his seizure order yes
: terday, criticized the union for vio-
: llating its contract with the transit
4 company, which provides for no In.
terruption of service. He described
] the strike as "a blow at the sanctity
lot labor agreements"
I 1T strikes, too," he said, cat the
: VERY roots of orderly government
The action of this union brings dis.