Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-18
Strike Views

SIJfkS VIEWS
The Stars editorials have
frequently mentioned the lack
Of wisdom in the handling Of
the transit strike. to which we
all agree. The editorials might
have added that wisdom was
also lacking In those who first
permitted the WolfSon group
to get control Of the District
Of Columbia transit franchise.
as implied In the Presidents
message on signing the transit
bill. Those who approved the
original purchase should bow
their heads in penitence for
what their erroneous judgment
has wrought on the people Of
the District.
Many Of the results Of that
decision must be suffered, as
we are now learning. Others
can be avoided. but not by
the attitude expressed in The
Star editorial on August Is,
which said in part: ut (the
strike settlement) should not
prove too difficult. Money to
meet the union demands will
be available from higher fares
and public funds" In this
statement The Star lends en-
enlargement to the strikers
that their demands viii be
met, and that MIR. Citizen win
foot the bill. It Is hoped that
those directing the settlement
harbor no such notions. We
as citizens had no love for the
Wolfson group. That was
taken care Of In the new law.
We also have some ideas about
what constitutes just returns
to the union men, and the fig
ure I have heard most fire.
quently is q raise Of about 10
cents an hour. with moderate
adjustments in fringe benefits.
The Commissioners have
more at stake than q strike
settlement. They have a re-
sponsibility to see to 1t that
higher fares and public
funds" are not made available
to meet the excessive demands
Of the union. ! am a regular
transit rider. I have hauled
from two to six Government
workers to and from work
every working day since the
strike began. I haven't levied
q charge yet. I have received
voluntary payments totaling
about $3.50. ! want the strike
settled. too. but not at the
price Of being saddled through
the years with unjustifiahle
costs. I suggest that every
transit rider let the Commits
sioners know his sentiments
on the strike settlement. In
that way each Of us can hasten
a Just decision on the issues.
Speak now or forever hold
your tongue"
Tired Of Driving.
i 4 n X
I recently read q very in
formative letter from j. g.
Bigelow, under the title "Tran-
sit Workers Views" and I de-
sire to congratulate him. I
have sent a clipping to the
District Commissioners. in case
they may have missed 1t.
Inote that Mr.. Bigelow says.
1--WE employees Of Capital
Transit are green with envy to
read in the papers where one
Of the new officers of the COM
pany has been awarded $780,
000-a-year pension after only
three years Of service"
Instead Of being green with
envy" they should be red with
indignation at such injustice.
Citizens and riders sympa-
thize with the employees, not
with the Wolfsons.
Margaret Hopkins Worrell.
4 4 II X
During the transit strike, as
a taxpaying but unrepresented
citizen of the District Of Coz
lumbia (who lost his vote in
Michigan when he left the
Federal Government service to
help the Board of Trade build
up business in downtown
Washington), ! should like to
suggest respectfully the fol-
lowing one-line editorial:
"They Talk; We Walk"
Thank you for your excel
lent editorials in our behalf,
both as citizens and as transit
riders.
Donald u. Gunter.
\ X Il 4
Is 1t not remarkable:
That no criticism from any
source has been heard of the
union of workmen Of the Cap
ital Transit Co. in Washing
ton for interrupting bus and
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