Denver labor bulletin., 1918-08-17
PRESIDENT TEL EGRA Pliers UNION Is
A LEADER WHO HAS ACTUALLY LED
Largely Responsible Taking Telegraph
Telephone Systems and Says 1t Means Eventually Gov
Ownership; Has Is
His Mother, Who Was OLeary.
By FRANK E. WOLFE.

matlclan, StatlStlclan, laWyer-anQ Ia
bor leader. He is leader who has
led, actually led labor in his craft.
He has led because the Commercial
Telegraphers of America have learned
one valuable lesson during their long
struggle for what is now commonly
and officially recognized, the right of
workers to organize for collective eff
fort and mutual benefit. They learned
that a strong, honest, capable execu-
tive, given power, can achieve more
than committees or delegations.
S. j. Konenkamp is the interna-
tional president of the Commercial
Telegraphers Union of America and
his achievement was to force the cleo
trical means of communication out of
the hands of private ownership and
into the hands of the government.
Back of him in this achievement were
several thousand organized CONNER
cial telegraphers. How many? No one
knows but S. j. Konenkamp, presi-
ldent of the Commercial Telegraphers
of America.
One Thousand Discharged.
There are persons who believed that
there were but few telegraphers who
would go out on the strike called for
July 8. Konenkamp said grimly:
"We1l show whose bluffing." 1t is
known that thousands of telegraphers
were eager for the call and that they
were furious when the strike order
was suspended, then called off. One
thousand of the employees of the West
ern Union were discharged for their
union activities. Konenkamp exerted
every effort to prevent a strike when
President Wilson expressed the wish
that there be no strike and that tele-
graphic communication remain undis-
turbed while Congress was deliberat-
ing the matter of federal control.
Konenkamp says he wanted COVE
ernment control because it means gov
ernment ownership, and he has wanted
that many years.
The foundation for the ultimate ac-
tion was laid several years ago when
relations between the Western Union
and Postal Telegraph companies and
their employees became strained. ko-
nenkamp's union gave him full power
to act, and as international president
of an International union, he did act
in two successful strikes in Canada,
United States that led up to the gov
ernment assuming control of all cleo
trical means of communication in
America.
Mothers Name Was O'Leary.
Konenkamp declares the President
of the Western Union Company was
right when he predicted that the teleg-
raphers would Immediately join the
union under government control. He
also points to statement made by
this same official, who few days be-
fore said the telegraphers did not want
to join any union, and besides that he
was planning a union of his own for
them to join. Enemies of the leader
of the telegraphers have made use of
the German origin of his name in an
attempt to discredit him since the war
began. In reply, his friends says,
for Konenkamp has disdained to re-
ply, that he was born in Pittsburg
forty years ago and that his parents
were born in America; that his moth
er's name was O'Leary; that both were
of fighting stock-reaching far back
into ancestry. Konenkamp's father
was six years in the United States
army and fought Loyalty thru the civil
war.
In the resolutions passed at the
of the American Federation
of Labor at st. Paul, the Order of
Railway Telegraphers pledged their
support of the Commercial Telegra-
pliers in a strike for the right to or
ganize. There were $4,000 telegra-
pliers back of that resolution, and
to all of them Konenkamp was well
known, for he was formerly assistant
general chairman of their order on
the Pennsylvania system. He has al
ways been popular with them, and
could depend on their support.
Revels in Investigations.
In 1907 Konenkamp co-operated
with Samuel Gompers in first trying
to prevent the ill-timed strike of that
year. In recognition of his efforts,
he was elected president of the Com
mercial Telegraphers Union in 1908,
and he has held that position ever
since. He studied law, and took his
degree at the De Paul University. This
has enabled him to marshall his facts
in the various state and federal in
vestigations of the telegraph compan-
les in their relations to labor. A born
MATHEMATICIAN and an accomplished
statistician, he has reveled in investi-
cations and his ability to quote dates
and figures has astounded investiga-
tors. Familiar with the entire his
tory of the telegraph business not
only in America, but in all countries,
Konenkamp has been well equipped for
the business of laying facts before in
quiring commissioners.
Forced Government Control.
That Konenkamp has had more to
do with forcing government owner
ship than any other one man is the
contention of his friends. When asked
what are the benefits to be derived
by the public ownership, he quickly
replied: "a greatly improved service
at much lower rates. Better hours,
wages and working conditions for the
employees; better, quicker and cheaper
SERVICE for fha nuhlic y Prassad fo,.