Evening star., 1918-07-08
KEYMEN PUT FAITH
IN GOVERNMENT AID
Remain at Keys to Avoid En-
barrasslng U. S. in War
Situation.
NEW ORLEANS MEN FIRED

NEW ORLEANS MEN FIRED
Tho Department of Labor today
was advised that about $50 tel
egraphers in Atlanta. Savannah
and other southern cities had gone
out on strike.
CHICAGO. July s.-The strike Of tele-
graphers employed by the Western
Union Telegraph Company, set for s
O'Clock this morning, did not take place,
the order for strike having been re-
voked by S. J. Konenkamp, president Of
the Commercial Telegraphers' Union.
after a long distance telephone confer
ence with Secretary of Labor Wilson in
Washington Secretary Wilson asked
the head Of the telegraphers union mot
to allow interference with the trans
mission of messages Of vital conse-
quence in the prosecution of the war.
and Mr.. Konenkamp announced that the
strike had been indefinitely postponed
''The strike scheduled for today will
not take place for the present." said
Konenkamp.
cit is deferred, and hope will never
be called. We believe we shall obtain
Justice through the agency of the gov
ernment and in this belief. not wishing
to embarrass the government in the
war, We are willing to wait reasonable
time for an adjustment"
The strike call was issued after the
Western Union declined to accept de-
cisions of the National War Labor
Board Of complaints of employees of the
company that they had been discharged
because Of their aftiliation with the
union.
242 Absent From Keys.
Reports received by S. ]. KoneH-
kamp, president Of the Commercial
Telegraphers' Union. today indicat-
ed that lockouts and strikes resulted
in the absence of approximately 242
men from their keys. His reports
were not complete
President konenkamp telegraphed
Secretary of labor Wilson, calling at
tention to the recent purported state
ment of President Carlton of the
Western Union that If there were
the slightest danger Of obstruction OF
| communications he would not hesi-
tate to grant the men the right to or
| ganfEe.
From Atlanta, Ga. came word that
| $50 men were out at Savannah, Au-
Eusta and Jacksonville many teie-
graphers were reported locked out
| and others. striking. Twenty were re-
| ported out at Ok.anoma Cl.y, ana IL
was rumored that ten had been lock-
ed out at Cincinnati There was no
trouble at Chicago.
| W. q. Head Makes Statement.
NEW YORK, July s.-President
| nf
Union gave out the following state
ment this morning:
The cold facts are these: On Sunday
afternoon strike meetings were called
by the Commercial Telegraphers
Union in all the principal cities. In
many cities there were SO few present
that the meetings were abandoned Out
| of our 40,000-odd operating employees.
exactly hfty-six attended and Joined
the union for the purpose Of strike.
This Is the one and only reason why
the proposed strike was called on.
! At a meeting yesterday of the New
York district of the telegraphers'
union it was voted to recommend to
President Konenkamp that the strike
be delayed until Congress decides the
question of government control of all
wires. Mr.. konenkamp was also
urged to petition the Senate to follow
the course of the House of Represen-
tatives "in granting President Wilson
power to take over all wires. and to
request President Wilson to exercise
such power. II granted
Oppose Mr. Burleson.
Another resolution was adopted in
| which 1t was recommended that the
railroad administration instead Of the
Post Omce Department be In charge
| of the wires II taken over by the
government. Speakers opposed CON-
| troll Of the wires by Postmaster Gem
eral Burleson. stating that they pre-
ferred Director General McAdoo.
]. Lewis Of Maryland, for years cham
pion Of government ownership Of
wires. was suggested for telegraph
| administrator.
Union Men Fired In New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS, July s.-Members
of the Commercial Telegraphers'
Union Of America, who reported for
work at the local offices of the West
ern Union Telegraph Company this
morning. were told that the company
had no further need for their services.
Each operator as he reported was
asked il he was 4 member Of the
union, it was said. and all replying In
the Affirmative were turned away.
More than eighty men who had been
refused admittance to the Western
Union Offices were gathered at union
headquarters for a special meeting Of
the local this morning. and union OFF,
cials said that according to their re-
ports less than a dozen non-union
operators were at work.
After a meeting of the local yester-
day It was announced that union
operators in New Orleans employed
by the. Western Union would strike
today 6nless orders to the contrary
were received from President konen-
kamp before o'clock this morning.
kamp ordered that action be post
poned, and the men reported for work
as usual.
80 Quit at Atlanta.
ATLANTA, Ca, July s.-Union teie-
eraphers Of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company did not go on strike in
the southeastern district, in accordance
with the latest order Of S. J. Konen-
kamp, president Of the national organi-
cation, except at Atlanta, where thirty
two men prematurely left their keys.
according to H. c. Worthen, general su-
perintendent of the Western Union.
"Ou- reports show that conditions in
thu district, which embraces all the
states south Of the Ohio river and east
Of the Mississippi. except the New Or
leans office, are normal this morning."
declared Mr.. Worthen.
A. F. Joyner. chairman Of the south
eastern executive COMMITTEES of the
teleGraphers' union, was authority for
the statement that moro than one hun
dred operators had gone out from the
local Western Union offices.
KONENKAMP YIELDS TO
-.s~sas~ anaeas