Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-06
Transit Acts
To Reconsider
Panel Boycott
Fuct-Finders Recess;
U. S. Mediutors Plan
NewAction in Dispute
By Froncis P. Douglas

The fact-flnding board hear
ing in the Capital Transit pen
sion dispute was recessed again
today with the announcement
that company officials were put
ting up to it's board of directors
the question of joining in the
hearings.
The company so far has re-
fused to have anything to do
with the fact-f1nding process.
AS the session of the three
man fact-finding board broke
up, the union announced that
if the company persists in
f1outing its obligations to the
public. the union will have to
reconsider it's position" The
union cooperating with the
board, has held in allegiance a
strike call to enfore it's pension
demands.
MediatOrS Try Again.
It was announced also that the
Federal Mediation and Concilia-
ton Service would try again in
conferences with union and COM
pany officials to reach a solution
to the dispute. Clyde M. Mills,
assistant director of the media
ton service, was to meet with
union officials this afternoon.
The recess called for 10 am.
came after a series of confer
ences among company officers,
District Commissioners, media
ton service officials and mem
bers of the fact-f1nding board.
The company had announced
earlier that a message it would
persist in it's refusal to CO.
operate with the fact-flnding
board would reach the board at
the start of it's meeting. Dis
closure that the company officers
had decided to refer the ques-
ton to the company directors
was made by Vice Admiral
Oswald S. Colclough, U. S. NJ,
retired, chairman of the fact
finders.
Union Message.
After Admiral Colclough an
nounced the decision to recess
the hearing again, Bernard Cush-
man, attorney for the union,
said:
1.-The union, mindful of its
obligations to the public, at the
joint request of the District Com
missioners and the Federal Medi-
alton Service has held strike &C
ton in allegiance. Now for the
third time these hearings have
been recessed.
THE union was led to believe
that the fact finding would be
carried out expeditiously. It did
not expect that the bold f1outing
of it's obligations by the company
would be rewarded with any spe-
cial tenderness"
He then stated that the union
would have to reconsider its
course if the company persisted.
Before the fact-f1nding board
convened, there was a confer
ence in District Commissioner
Samuel Spencer'S Office. Pres
ent, in addition to Mr.. Spencer
were Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prem
tiss, Engineer Commissioner; Mr..
Mccoy: j. A. B. Broadwater,
Capital Transit president; Doran
S. WeinStein, executive vice
president, and Edmund L. Jones,
general counsel of the company.
After the fact-f1nders assem-
bled, they asked President Wal
ter j. Bierwagen, Mr.. Cushman
and other union officials to wait
while the board conferred with
other officials.
Board Unit to Meet.
The board members then went
to the Labor Department and
consulted with Mr.. Mccoy, Mr..
Mills and Commissioner Spencer.
The board. on its return to the
Departmental Auditorium hear
ing room, announced the recess.
At the company offices later
1t was said that the question Of
taking part in the fact finding
hearing actually would be put
up to the Executive Committee
of the board rather than to all
Of the directors. It was ex-
planned it would be impractical
to get the entire board together
for a special meeting.
The Seven-member Executive
Committee includes Mr.. Broad
water. Mr.. Weinstein, Louis E.
WolfSon of Miami, chairman of
the board and chief stakeholder
in the company; Daniel w. Bell,
president of the American Sc
curity & Trust Co.; Edward D.
Merrill. former president of the
company; j. E. Heberle, former
vice president and controller,
and E. B. Gerbert, Jacksonville,
Fla. Four members constitute
a quorum.
1t was also said that the Board
of Directors at a meeting on
June 80 had unanimously APP
proved the officers refusal of CO.
operation with the ct-f1nding
hoo ri