The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-06-18
President Of Company Coz
tends War Labor Board
Decision Not
Binding.
II WAS NOT UNANIMOUS


limited Press Leased Wire Sery1cel
NEW YORK, June IS.--Presicen'
Newesrab Carton Of tae Western Un.
ion Tejegrapa company, sn letter e
President Wilson, made psloic tscsy
virtually declined 10 accept lie ru}
ing OF tbs m2s szsoor board - the els
pute between the company An6 rnf
Commercial TeiegraDners Onion oi
America, as requested by me prasa
dent unless forced 70 DO 50 by tne
war government
He said the war la5or boards 6ez5
sion was no. binding. Is & WIS 1pi
ananiulous, as provided II TIE 2res3-
dental proclamation creating sae
board Declaring there is Id 3aaSe,
Of a telegr2Dners' strike. and that pae
company feels # would not De doing
Justice 10 the public i II perzasited
IA outside union 10 interfere With ils
work, Canton added:
yi,s board Of directors and the
executives concerned il the manage
ment of the property with prinna ~
RESPONSIBILITY 10 the public and the
government. would deeply cepaore BE-
ing forced 10 lay aside the safeguards
that experience mas ctowa 70 Dc
requisite and which are believed es-
BfNs%6l ~ LIZ pS'lSIs S1-~~~~ - ~<~r>~
tive telegraph service"
The letter in part follows:
Dear Nr. President:
Permit me 10 thank you for Fon,
Letter Of June II, which I acknow1-
edged by wire Friday
-The foundation upon which rests
the procedure OF the national war IL
Dor board is contained IN the follow
ing ciause on the official paper fssties
with your proclamation of the eighth
OF April:
When the board, after due effor:
OF its own, through sections, socsl
committees or otherwise, ends r. in
possible 70 settle a controversy, the
board shall then sit az a board Of az
duration. decide the controversy and
make an award IL IL can reach anant
NOUS conclusion II n cannot do this,
then IL shall select an umpire, as pro,
yided, who shall SIT with the board
review the issues and render his
award.
I'm view Of this required proceed
nKf, think we are entitled 70 state
the facts, which are that the TAFT
Walsh PLAZA which has been referred
10 as the decision Of the board, WAS
rejected Ey tGs pJ<fN DiA1SI ~
above procedure by FIVE votes. Fol-
lowing this failure Of unanimous &C,
ton. there was no appointment Of an
umpire and therefore. under the pre-
ecribed procedure Of the board itself
30 decision.
I'VE desire 10 be perfectly falr
with you, sir, as we have been with
The board We are not fayorabi% 10
sharing the responsibility OF conduct
ing a great public service with tho
peculiar features Of the telegraph,
which the exigenctes OF the war have
Increased many fold, with members OF
an outside organization whose inter
ests are personal, rather than public
"Under the plan OF Nr. Walsh, con
Cured in by Ir. Taft, an outside un'
ion which has for many years, been
frankly hostile to the company would
under the pretext Of war emery
ency, waive its rights 10 strike dur
ing the war, but carry on a propagan
da for the purpose Of enligting suffi
Client of the company's employees for
no possible result that IL could attain
during the war, but only that II might
furnish the nucleus for the disorSani
cation of our service through democrat
lied discipline and the use Of tho
strike Immediately after the exigen
Giles of the war had ceased, and re
leased IT from IT'S promises. AS indi
catiye OF the character and temper