The Washington herald., 1919-03-09
union DECLARES
LEWIS QUIT WIRE
JOB after ROW
Women's Trade League
Quizzes 8urleson Regard
ing Resignation.
STRIKE Is IMPENDING
Dismissal Of Scores Of Girl
Operators Has Brought
About Crisis.

Ex-representative David ]. Lewis
has returned to his position on the
tariff board and dropped all serv-
ice with the general wire control
board of the Postofice Department.
and representatives of the organized
telegraphers and telephone operators
openly claimed last night it was due
to his ability to agree with the Post
master-general on labor policies af-
fecting the employees.
For some time rumors have been
rife that Mr.. Lewis was inactive on
wage matters affecting the employees
because of restrictions placed upon
his authority by Postmaster general
Burleson. These have been denied
that Mr.. Lewis had relinquished his
duties.
Letter QuiExes Bsrleson-
In an open letter sent out last night
by the Women's Trade Union League
Postmaster General Burleson is
quizzed for the reasons which animat-
ed the resignation of Mr.. Lewis and
the purpose of concealing his action
until the present time.
The statement says, in part:
In the absence of Mr.. Lewis from
a position Of authority, the National
Women's Trade Union League. which
Is backing the Telephone Operators
Union in its protest against the Burle-
son administration. sees a cause for
all the conditions which have led TO
the widespread dissatisfaction of the
organized telephone and telegraph op-
orators, the dismissal by the compa-
nies Of scores of girls for joining the
operators unions, and the feeling
which has eliminated in a vote for a
nationwide strike on the part of the
telephone operators.
Promises Revelations.
The league also suggests that the
friends Of the policy of government
control. nonplussed by the inefficIency
or the wire services during the last
several months. because ignorant of
Mr.. Lewis lack Of power to remedy
the situation. will find in the reyela-
tions concerning his resignation an
answer which in no sense discredits
the policy of government operation.
The league, therefore. believing that
the public should have information
upon a matter of such Importance to
the whole nation" has sent an open
''b1Sl " MI buEltSOns asking why Mr.
Lewis resigned and why Mr.. BurIeson
has kept the matter secret.
rs il true. as reported" asks the
league in its letter, that Mr.. Lewis
during his tenure of office in the
Wire Administration. was given
practically no authority to carry out
the plans which he. as an expert in
telephone management, was expect
ed to propose?
Friend of Labor.
rs it true. as reported, that al
though appointed director of opera
ton, he was Immediately made one
of community Of three to exercise
that authority. the other two mem
hers Of the committee having no ex-
perience in telephone administration
and no expert knowledge Of tele-
phone systems. and being, further
more, opposed to collective bargain
ing and organization of the work.
ers?
Especially is it true that Mr.,
Lewis was deprived of authority to
deal with the human factor in the
situation. the telephone and teIe-
graph workers, who for months
have been asking for redress of
grieyances?"
Mr.. Lewis sympathies with organ
lied labor are well known. He was
himself miner in his youth, and a
member of the United Mine Work
crs of America, and was chairman Of
the Labor Committee of the House
OF Representatives when he was a
member of Congress.