Evening Star Newspaper, June 10, 1935, Page 6

THR }-\'I NING STAR. WASHINGTON, D. .. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1938. TAXIVEN STRIE ASNOBLES ARRIVE 4,000 Out Demanding Rate Increase and Apology for Slur. (Continued From First Page.) salient points. Fights between stri ing hackers and unsympathetic dri ers were intermittent Passengers were unharmed, Five persons. taxicab drivers. were arrested by Po- liceman H. Osborn early today on charges of disorderly conduct, as the result of their alleged participation in the strike Those arrested, ail of arraigned before Judge Schuldt in Police Court eir cases continued for further in- vestigation. were: James H. Johnson. ~5. 1370 Irving sireet. Howard Cork- 50 Longfellow street: Louis 31. 1308 Columbia road larence A Jones. 28, 950 Longfellow and William E. Dodson. Park road Arthi Mercilliott of 511 F street north was arrested at Thir- teenth and I streets. when he is al- leged to have d en his cab into another, the driver of which had not nined the strike Mercilliott was charged with reckless driving and violation of the liquor law. Officers thev found a pint bottle of whisky., with seal broken Mer- cilliott’'s ¢ The Uni Hotel city three of whom were whom were Gus A today and Station and Mavflower two largest in the were dest Car Lines Are Guarded. Capital Co pressed ce all available equipment t cars and 240 busses. Police d patrolmen to from possible sab- The Transit that the congestion any great 10 am Gisrurbanc At 9 0% ative of Vermont gran A B G Cab Hohensee. Drivers Pre Hohensee position Washington. the callous erward the presi- statemer The unable longer t nd cab ch fa, s as mc ers of the implication branded soks o the incom- < ers. struck in the rs of Monday. June 10. in a imoth mass meeting The sun rises Monday. June 10, on the opening of rine convention but without in service throughout s (o a long of of f the taxicab drivers so ab drivers are no Jonger able to make a living wage. and brought to a head by the callous. wholesale branding of the cab drivers #< cheats and by People’s Counsel Roberis in statements to the incoming hordes of prominent Shriners. eris. wherein the a taxica the Complete Tie-Ups Claimed. “Every cab company in the city is tied up completely pending the satisfactory conclusion of two major drmands. These demands are 1 public retraction of the implications in the public of People’s Counsel Roberts officials incident to the nvention An agreement between the cab ers and the cab companies to es- ish 7ones of 20 cents, 40 cents. 60 cents and 80 cents. The present rate f most of the companies is 20. 30, 50 #nd 70 cents Negotiations are in process between the organized cab drivers and the cab companies Peoples counsel and the - public &pokesmen of the Shrine convention have been adviced of the cab drivers’ position and offered an opportunity to correct the harmful int of their ®ratements “The cab % pm. todav west, Typogra further plans and ©f progress man of the meet zgain at G sireet north- Hall. 10 perfect to receive reports Committee Hohensee. busincss manager ¢ Cab Drivers' Protective Unfon. for a committee representing vers for every taxicab organi- in the city. advises that the rike will continue until at least some f the major grievances of the down- frodden and long-exploited cab driv- €s are corrected.” Violence Is Opposed. Hohensee emphasized that the union contemplated no violence. and sald 1hat any cab drivers hauling passen- pers who had been stopped by other cab drivers was entirely upon the initiative of the latter At the union headquarters at 1103 Yermont avenue. the assertion was made that the city's taxicabs were 100 per cent off the street.” Robert P. Smith. Shrine convention €hairman. attempted to placate #trikers’ anger over the special fleet of Shrine cars with this statement late this morning Regarding the taxicab vwe wish to assure you that we have the greatest respect for all taxicab erivers in Washington. Many of you &re students working your way through school. We wish to assure Shriners and the public that taxicab drivers are courteous. decent and law-abiding itizens. Their standard rates are fair, and there is no reason for the public to be at all apprehensive about the treatment which will be accorded. ‘We urge Shriners (o patronize all taxicabs in Washington and to pay the standard rates. plus a reasonable tip. which is the prevailing American custom. “'Zone cab rates are posted on the windshield of every taxicab. How: ever. these rates apply only in the city limits. situation Promises Courlesy. “When taxicabs are used to outside city limits additional charges are necessarily made In such cases we 1rge Shriners and the public to make # deal with cab drivers before de- parting on their trip. “1 give you every assurance that taxi drivers will extend you every courtesy And now a word to the taxi drivers themselves: 1 sincerely hope that von immediately put your taxicabs hack on the streets of Washington. and especially T ask that you put them hack at Union Station. where there is 2 big demand. Until you do. we will have to move our people by bus and street car I wish to assure you that under no circumstances will the Gen- eral Motors cars be used to transport others than the few representatives (not more than 10 fn number) from each Shrine Temple as they arrive. These are courtesies which must be ex- tended to our Shrine officials. They sre our guests in the city, and as di- rector general I wish to assure you that we stand whole-heartedly back of the taxi drivers f4r all the busi- the. Where Temples Are Staying Temple. City. Aleppo Ansh . ... Beni Kedan. Cyprus . El Hasa. India Kerbela Osiris Palestine Pyramid Rameses Yaarab Khedine Arabia Hadi Oasis Abdallah Al Koran.. Al Menah Moolah Medinah Morocco Zor Nile Moslem Aladdin Malii Ali_Ghair Al Malaikah. . Hamasa Mount Sinai. . Kora . Becktash . Rajah Kazim Ocea . Syria Melha . Sphinx . Jaffa Ismailia Sudan Pyramid Mecca Kismet Oriental . Bangor. Me. .Ashland. Ky .. Atlanta, Ga. .Norfolk. Va. Cleveland. ..Chicago. .Jacksonville. .. Seattle. Detroit. Miami, Fla .Cumberland. Los Angeles Pittsburgh Altoona, Pa Bridgeport. " Brooklvn. N I Troy. N. Y. .Boston, Mass. .Charleston. W. Va. Albany. N. Y. Oklahoma City. ..Knoxville, Tenn ..Wheeling. W. Va. ..Providence, R. 1. Bridgeport. Conn Toronte, Canada .. Houston, Tex. .. Evansville, Ind. Charlotte, N. ..leavenworth. Kans ..Nashville, Tenn 8t. Louis, Mo ..Madison, Wis. .Columbus. Ohie. . Meridian, Miss. .Montpelier, Vt Lewistown. Me. Concord. N. H. Reading, Pa. Roanoke. Va Richmond. Va. . Springfield. Mass, . Hartford, Conn. . Buffalo, N. ¥ New Bern, N. C. Conn. New York City Hotel. Lee House. Hamilton. Harrington. Continental. New Colonial. Washington. Lee House. Harrington and Ebbitt Mayflower. Commodore. New Colonial Annapolis. La Fayette. Harrington. Scattered. Tbbitt. Scattered. Mayflower, Scattered. Scattered. Pullmans. Pullmans. Pullmans. Scattered. Wardman Park Lee House. Pullmans. Ambassador. La Fayette. Ebbitt. Kern Hotel. Hamiiton. Dodge. Blackstone, Roosevelt. Powhatan. Mayflower. Scattered. Martinique. Ambassador. Mayflower. itol Park. Commodore. Arlington Harrington. Scattered. C. Fla. Md. Y. TOMORROW, Zembo . Cumberland Rutland. Vt Ali Ghan Cairo FIf Khurafeh Luxor st Murat . Nemesis Tigris . Parkersburg Syracuse. N ness they will obtain from this great ihrong of Shriners. Let me also add that we have had absolutelv nothing to do with the slatement issued to the press and a tributed io the people’s counsel * The 350 cabs of the Consolidated Association “will not haul a passenger until People’'s Counsel Roberts retracts his insulting statement.” Harry J Grange. president of the company said Leon Brill, president of Bell Asso- ciation. about 500 cars. declared “Qur men are not going to strike We don't see any sense in it. We object to some of Mr. Roberts® state- ments. but we don't think this is the way to retaliate ” Meeting Held at 2 AM The strike was launched at a cab- drivers’ mass meeting early this morn- ing at First and M streets northeast. More than 2.000 drivers jammed the street and sidewalks to hear the ex- hortations of Hohensee, business agent of the cab union. to protect their rights and reputations Hohensee was named strike chair- man at a preliminary meeting of 400 Diamond operators who said they were incensed at Roberts’ published caution to the Shriners not to let drivers “gyp” them The first meeting broke up soon after 2 oclock. The men were sent into the street to bring more drivers back to the rally At 3 oclock the throng gathered again. Hohensee climbed on the curb- stone and outlined his three-point program Robert P. Smith. convention direc- tor general. was awakened to bs told of the meeting. He rushed from his bed and arrived at the rally at 3:30 am. Amid boos and jeers he at- tempted a placatory speech. Explains Special Cars. “The cab drivers in Washingion are honest. courteous and reliable.” h warmly assured the beligerent group. So what,” came the answer. Smith persisted “The Pennsylvania avenue broas casts were not the Shriners' idea Jeers drowned him out He turned his attention to the prob- lem of the 350 special Shrine cars “Out of 100,000 Shriners. only 1.200 of the higher officials are permitted to ride in those General Motors cars. This s & common practice at all con- ventions. to provide free transporta- tion for the higher dignitaries. If we didn't get these cars through the courtesy of General Motors, Almas Temple would have had to supply cars at its own expense.” The drivers weren't satisfied. They insisted the ecars picked up any Shriner who wanted a ride. They resolved not to use any more General Motors cars Smith left the curb. He went home and wrote out an official statement | of his attitude on the General Motor car question: “General Motors has very generously contributed 350 cars to the Shrine this week, but I think it should be made clear that these cars will not be available for use for any one ex- cept official representatives of our various temples, and then only for the | transportation of these representa- tives and their wives to the official functions of the convention. Movements Restricted. “These cars will be the only cars permitted in certain restricted down- town areas at certain periods during the convention. This ruling is neces- sary. since traffic congestion would be very serious if all cars were per- mitted in these areas. “It is obvious to us that this con- tribution by General Motors will not in any way hurt the taxicab business in Washington during the Shrine week. particularly in view of the fact that taxicabs will be at a premium to | handle the 100.000 or more visitors that we expect.” “Yeah, but 1.200 people riding free will take away a lot of cab business,” ' | the drivers answered. Union organizers were busy in the crowd after Smith left. Many drivers | attempted to organize new protective | associations. Hohensee himself brought | a few of these to the curb to speak | to the crowd. The drivers howled down these attempts at organization. Violence Plan Jeered. More drivers suggested violence to gain their ends, but the same loud | boos that greeted Smith and the union organizers decried this suggestion. By 4 o'clock, just before dawn, the strike got under way. From two to five men piled into cabs sent out to | cruise. On the windows of some were scrawled in white letter: “On strike—no passengers.” Some of the striking drivers took their wives and sweethearts with them ! on the strike cruise. The Diamond lot. at PFirst and M| streets, was jammed with idle cabs. | Their drivers milled about restlessly. The cruisers devoted their atten tion to spotting and pursuing non-| striking cabs. Diamond drivers made | | reckless U-turns in the middle of streets to overtake hackers looking for | i or carrying passengers. It became apparent soon there was| to be a general paralysis of taxicab Harrisburg. Pa. .. Saginaw. Mich John's, New Bruns- wick, Canada Indianapolis. 8. 8. Southland, Tth St. Wharf. Ambassador Tourist Camp. Houston. Md Carlton Annapolis. Grafton New Colonial. Ind W. Va, Y. operation &s other drivers joined the Diamond J. E. Brown. colored. operator for University Association. an- nounced e that the drivers in his association were not on strike. A few minutes later, strikers forced him to the curb in the 1400 block of Chapin street. They ordered his passengers. two white women and a while man. to get out. The passen- gers paid Brown the 20 cents, despite the inconvenience. “Sure, I pulled up 10 the sidewaik right away.” Brown said. “1 wouldn't fight for 20 cents’ Other University drivers dropped out gradually. Lincoln, another col- ored outfit. pulled its 56 cars off the street. The 350 Harlem and Gen- eral cabs, biggest colored-driver group. were forced at about 9 o'clock to give up the attempt to haul passengeis City Cab and Premier Cab Asso- ciation drivers began to pour into the home lots of thelr companies. afraid of their cars being smashed. A Pre- mier statement read: ‘We're not exactly striking, but our fellows are afraid to haul passengers The boys are being run off the street. Our cars are being run into the curb and bunged up and the passengers are being forced to get out and walk We'll just wait and see what de- velops.” Mesnwhile, a special police detail walked up aad down before the parking lot at First and M streets At 5:25 a.m. precinct captains were ordered Car Tracks Guarded. Have special attention paid to streel car tracks to see that nothing may be done to cripple street car transportation.” At 7:45 am. a few minutes before | the first Shriner parade marched down the Avenue behind a sprightly brass band, this message went to police “Complaints are being received that striking taxicab drivers are driving around the city interfering with drivers who are working. Also with passengers in such cabs. Especially on pracipal thoroughfares. Direct vour men to give this special atten- tion. Inspector Edwards.” Many persons coming downtown to work were ignorant of the strike One passenger told this story: “I didn't know any trouble was brewing and T boarded a cab at Con- necticut avenue and N street at the invitation of the one passenger al- ready in it “Almost at once several cabs bore down like hawks. Their drivers shouted ‘strike-breaker’ In a few seconds we were driven to the curb and entirely surrounded by ofher cabs. “A dozen men crowded about our car. They cursed our driver and de- manded that we get out. When my fellow passenger threatened to ocall & policeman, the profane driver block- ing the way in front with his cab moved aside and let us go. “All the way downtown we were assailed by striking cabe whose driv- ers screamed for us to get out. Sees Drivers Losing. “When the driver dropped me, he said: “'I don’t see any sense to all this fuss. The drivers are just keeping themselves out of some monev and going on strike won't help them any I had heard talk of a strike because of private machines lent free to the Shriners, but I didn't know a strike was actually on.” At the parking lot a driver was | complaining: “1 carried & party from here to Congressional Country Club, for which the usual fare is $2.50. When 1 got there, the party offered me 20 cents, which they said was the price and that was all they were going 3 The only reason they did that be- cause of what they heard on the loud- speaker, which intimated tha* 20 cents was thee fare anywhere, maybe even to Baltimore.” “Say It FLOWERS e ¢ Shrine —at Ve BETTER FLOWERS Open Evenings and Sundays ‘SHRINE RECORDERS PONDER PROBLENS | Association Studies Meth-“ | ods of Collecting Dues and Holding Membership. | | | | Ways and means of collecting dues | and of maintaining temple member- ships at a level as high as possible were the principal concerns of the | Shrine Recorders’ Association as it | opened a day of business sessions at | the Raleigh Hotel this mornin | About 125 recorders and past record- | | ers attended. Those contributing based on experiences of their indi- | vidual temples included George W. Clark of Al Kaly. Heber C. Griffith of Ziyara, J. F. Gould of Zuhrah, | Gilbert E. Griffin of Beni Kedem, Frank B. Lazier of Nile, Walter W. Morrison of Aleppo. George J. Ram- sey of Al Malaikah, Charles Miller of Korein, Harry W. Connolly of | EI Malda. Robert S. Abernethy of | Aahmes, Robert D. Roney of Tigris, | Len Bwan of Indis, A, R. Kimmer- ling of Kosair and Robert L. Rodgen of Zem Zem. | Brief addresses were made by Past | Imperial kins. Imperial Potentate Dana Willlams. Imperial Recorder James C. Price, Assistant 1mperial Recorder Everett Jacocks and John Tipton of Ansar Temple. A yearly report to the association was made by President Schuyler C. Peck of El Jebel Temple, who pre- sided. The program for the dav's session was arranged by Edward A. Miller of Zembo Temple. Among | those present was Recorder F. Law- rence Walker of Almas Temple. one of ihe founders of the association and its first president Members were joined by their wives and friends at luncheon in the hotel The business session of the group reconvened shortly before 2 o'clock suggestions | Potentate Ferdinand Ken- | drick, Past Potentate Harry 8. Has- | 8! — Shrine Marchmfl Order Maj. The order of march for the 8hrine | | escort parade at 10 am. tomorrow | | follows: HEAD OF PARADE. | ! Maj. Ernest W. Brown, police, and escort. Chairman of Parade and Fltrnl Committee, L. Whiting Estes. Admiral Harry G. Hamlet of United | States Coast Guard, grand marshal. Almas Temple units. Kora Temple. Dana 8. Williams, imperial potentate. | Anah Temple. | Deputy imperial potentate and im- | perial divan. Cyprus Temple. Col. C. C. Coombs, marshal of the | first division. Mecca Temple. | Mount Sinai. | Al Koran. | Orental. Pyramid. Syria. Zihara. Moslem. Medinah. Murat. Boumi. Kosair. Palestine, Accr, Osiris. Capt. engineer Commissioner, second division Rameses Temple, Kismet. Ismaiiia. Al Ms | Morocco, Alhambra. Yaarab. Hamasa. Rajah. chiet o | | Howard ¥. Clark. assistant marshal of ikah. Committee reports were to be made this afternoon. followed by election of officers. Louis N. Donnatin, first vice president, will succeed Recorder Peck as head of the association The annual banquet of the organ- ization will be held tonight. starting at 6 o'clock, at the Raleigh Hotel. MOTOR CLUB AIDS CONCLAVE VISITORS D. C. Organization Puts All Re- sources at Disposal of Shrine Committees. Officials of ihe District of Columbia Motor Club of the A. A_ A, who esti- mated about 95.000 tourists will arrive for the Shrine convention by auto and bus. were exerting every effort today to make their stay here pleasant The entire resources of the club have been placed at the disposal of Robert Smith. general director of the conven- tion, and Earl A. Nash, manager of the local motoring organization. was working closely with the convention committee. The District of Columbia motor club is furnishing 7500 of .'s new points-of-interest maps to the Shrine Committee. It lists a total of more than 300 points of interest in the National Capital The Shrine Housing Commitize has extension telephones located in the District of Columoia club heauquar- Brown, Admiral Hamlel and Hugh Officials of Nobles Will Be at Head of Procession. Aladdin. Oasis. Sphinx. Beni Kedem. Salsam, Luxor, Jaffa. Cairo. Maj. Lane Schofield, marshal of the | third division Lu Lu Temple. Zembo. Bektash. El Hasa. Elf Khurafeh, Khedive, i The main post office at North c-p»' itol street and Massachusetts avenue ond the Benjamin Franklin station in the Post Office Department Bullding on Pennsylvania avenue are open 24 hours a day during the Shrine con- | clave. the Post announced today. Airmail dispatches will be made from the two offices to all points and schedules of closing time for all prin- cipal points in the country are posted in_the lobbles. The Shrine post office is located in the Benjamin Franklin station for the delivery of mail to the nobles and is open from & am. to 8 pm. dail Office Department SHRINE BACKS U.S. DRIVE ON RACKETS ,Wllhams Pledges Nobles’ Aid to Hoover in War on Gangsters. The 8hriners of North America are behind the Department of Justice in its drive to stamp out racketeering i and gang crime in the United States, Imperial Potentate. Dana 8. Williams | told J. Edgar Hoover. director of the | Bureau of Investigation, during a | visit to the department today. Hoover | 1= a Bhriner and a member of Almas Temple. “On behalf of your |and as a citizen fellow nobles interested in the | weifare of the country.” Williams told | Hoover, “1 want to express our ad- | miration and lppr!clalmn of the work | your bureau is doing.” | The imperial potentate referred to the “breaking” of the Weyerhaeuser kidnap case yesterday as “a marvelous | piece of work.” Sign Guest Book. The imperial potentate and mem- bers of his divan were received by Attorney General Cummings and signed the cabinet officer's guest book Because of other demands on his time Williams was forced to forego a visit to the crime laboratory of the Bureau of Investigation. but promised to come back later. Many members of the divan, representatives to the Imperial Council session and mem- bers of their parties, however, visited the laboratory Willilams laughingly expressed the hope his Shriners would not create any work for the Bureau of Investigation and pointed out the Shrine is main- taining its own police organization Q(&fcome; NOBLES »"“LADIE Was HING TON ters so that motorists coming to the ' club in search of rcoms are given access to the Shrine housing scrvice. Emergency ouldoor telephone serv- ice in congested wieas around Hains Point, similar 0 that provided dur- ing cherry blossom time, will be sup- plied by the motor club if found necessary. By oftering free emer- gency road service to non-members as well as members, the club has been able to prevent undue deiay that | otherwise would ke caused by motor breakdowns in the congested Hains Point area. Taxi Statement Roberts” Comment Saturday Involved in Cab Row Here. The chief bone of contention in fo- day’'s taxicab controversy was & state- ment issued Saturday by People’s Counsel William A. Roberts. “Thousands of our taxicab drivers will be doing their best to give the visitors adequate service under trying conditions.” the statement said. “Help protect them against the ‘gyp’ driver. “Visitors and residents should know that Washington taxi rates are not fixed by public authority, but by the drivers. However, the law specifically _ provides that the cabs must charge ihe rates on file with the Public Utili- ties Commission. These rates cannot be changed except on 10 days’ notice to the commission. “Less than 100 cabs are reported by those who have applied for in- creased rates which could be effective during the convention. That means that almost 4,000 cabs will be operat- !ing at the usual rates of 20 cents for | trips within the first zone, 30 cents for trips from the first to second zone, 50 cents to third zone and 70 cents maximum charge in the third zone. “The public rates must be shown on a sign conspicuously placed on the windows of the cabs. There is a zone map posted in the riding apartment |of each cab There is no occasion for any one to be overcharged if he will examine this sign before enter- ing the cab.” With Shaffer’s Flowers” for all Festivities ry Reasonable Prices + BETTER SERVICE ) Florist Cor. 14th and Eye Sts Ph Nat. 0106 FLOWERS DELIVERED ANYWHERE Gold Medal Award for Purity and Ezcellence ja{i;ffiei a aHE Finest Ingredients and Natural Ageing— uninterrupted and unhurried—endow Senate Beer with that matchless Quality and Flavor, which distinguish it above all others . . . appraised “the finest by connoisseurs as EER Lon h and medical service during the session which opened today. Ghrim Officers Ald Police. a well-organized police um\ cr»au—d to work with the local police authorities in handling the problems which always grow out of the gathering of great numbers of visitors,” the imperial potentate ex- plained. “Our medical service also is available to aid in handling routine cases and mino: emergencies.” Director Hoover showed the imperial | potentate and members of his official family the bureau's master “crime map.” on which is shown the location of every fleld agent of the bureau !and he pointed out the concentration of agents in the Northwestern States in connection with the Weyerhaeuser case. While he was explaining the signifi- cance of certain features of the search he received a long-distance call from one of the agents reporting on the search for Willlam Mahan, also wanted in connection with the kid- naping. MRS. OLMSTED DIES Former B)ludonl nl Washington to Be Buried Here Tomorrow. Mrs Elizabeth Gapen Olmsted, wife of Dr. Edwin B. Olmsted. for manv vears a resident of Washington, died Saturday at her home in Cleveland Ohio, it was learned here today. After services at the home, the bodv will be brought here for burial in Rock Creek Cemetery tomorrow at 3:30 pm Besides her husband. Mrs. Olmsted is s ed by a daughter, Katherine Muriel Olmsted. and Gapen Olmsted. She also leaves a brother Clinton Gapen, of Geneva, N. Y. Two Prizes Are Awarded. FAIRFAX. Va.. June 10 (Special} Carroll Norfolk of Tlda and William Ebhardt of Fairfax, were awarded the F. § McCandlish memorial prize and the Rotary prize, respectively, at the closing exercises of Fairfax Ele- mentary School irst! in America.” Ask for “Senate” wherever beer is sold CHR. HEURICH BREWING CO. WASHINGTON, D. C. FAMOUS F O R QUA EEL T ¥ S IN € E