Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1918-11-08
WIRE COMPANIES
Use Sabotage To Discredit Govern
ment Control

Washington. - In a effort to dis
credit federal control of the telegraph
the managers of the Western Union
and Postal are practicing a sabotage
that would land any other person in
the penitentiary, declares President
Konenkamp of the Commercial Tele-
graphers' union, who is in this city
seeking the reinstatement of 700
victimized union telegraphers.
eve have bundle of testimony"
said Konenkamp, to support our
claim that the companies are sabotag
ing the government; that they dis
charge competent and necessary tele-
graphers because these workers at
tended meetings of their union; that
company business is given the right
of way over important cash business
that is often forwarded by mail, and
that telegraphers are ordered to go
Slow so that managers may show
the public, to use the words of one
official This is what you get under
government control
POSTMASTER General Burleson has
in his possession protest by Atlanta,
Ga, citizens who show that Western
Union officials at that gateway to the
south, ordered employees to give
SERVICE or company, business the
right of way. The smallest detail of
company management is placed be-
fore business Of vital need to the ma
tion AS high as 10000 of these dead
head messages have been filed in one
day and important kilograms were
shipped by railroad, while company
officials assured a complaining public
that the government, and not they,
is responsible.
"To perfect its sabotage policy at
Atlanta the company has ordered
some of its men to report at 10
a. m. instead of $3.50. This has re-
suited in an hour and one-half ac-
emulation of business, in addition
to the dead-head business, which
company officials increase wherever
possible.
"From many western points | have
received information that telegraph
ers have been ordered to go slow
to reduce speed. This was one of the
things that put Haywood and his
crowd in the Leavenworth penitentiary
"At Los Angeles, CAL, substitutes,
or what we call extra men, have been
told by Western Union officials that
there was no work for them. At the
same time Santa Barbara and other
cities were calling Los Angeles for
an hour and one-half. Later Los
Angeles would reply that their service
is disorganized because of government
control.
"In Chicago competent telegraph
ers are seeking employment while the
companies plead a lack of men be-
cause of poor service.
"In Oklahoma City two operators
were discovered talking while at
work. They were discharged and the
company gave notice to connecting
cities that because of the scarcity of
labor the office had to close at mid
night and that after midnight bus
mess would be handled the next day.
"We have testimony" continued
President Konenkamp, "that employees
in a New York office left their wires
to urge other employees to join the
company union formed by President |
Carlton of the Western Union. At
the same time war munitions plants |
in Ansonia, Waterbury, Bridgeport |
and other Connecticut towns were
trying to connect with New York to
get rid of their accumulating products
"The Western Union can give the |
/. w. w. points on sabotage, but |
while the latter are jailed, President |
Carlton and his associates are per-
mitted to go their way, although they |
make no attempt to conceal their
policy and the motive behind it. In
stead of aiding the government these
officials are not only sabotaging the
government, but they create discord |
among employees by their continued
refusal to accept the governments
labor policy and cease discrimination
of trade unionists."