New-York tribune., 1919-06-11
10000 to Quit
Wires To-day Is
Union Forecast
Continued from page I

tary Of the body, as stating that there
would be no general walkout of tele-
phone employees Immediately.
The electrical workers union, which
maintains local headquarters in 80
Union Square, is scheduled to meet at
2 o'clock this afternoon to decide what
aid it will extend to the telegraphers.
There is strong possibility that
there will be no sympathy strike, but
that the telephone workers will extend
financial aid to the keymen, it was
said.
"The situation for the union in the
Western Union system hourly inn
proves" said Thomas. This statement
is based on reports from all over the
country, which indicate there will be
pronounced rebellion against the die
tatorial methods of President New
comb Carlton, Of the Western Union,
and his efforts to force a so-called
union Of his own making, in the form
of the Association Of Western Union
Employees. on labor.
"While indications are that the
strike will be success all over the
nation, | can speak with authority for
the Eastern district, where I predict
tieup Of the service"
Counts on moral Support"
Mr.. Thomas also called attention to
the fact that the Order of Railroad
Telegraphers had adopted a resolution
at its last convention authorizing it's
members not to handle commercial
business in the event Of strike. This,
said Mr.. Thomas, will bring the moral
support Of the 10000 members of that
organization to the strikers cause 1t
will mean that all Western Union and
Postal messages will be turned down at
railroad Offices, he said.
The union official said that of the
1,200 operators of various types in the
main Office of the Western Uuion here,
fully 90 per cent would obey the strike
order. The strike call affects operators
of all types, clerks, employees of the
bookkeeping and statistical depart
ments, linemen and other workers, and
Mr.. Thomas said a large percentage
OF these workers also would quit
The Postal main Office operators
number about $50, according to Mr..
Thomas, who said 95 per cent of the
wiremen would walk out in this city.
No estimates of the number of branch
office workers, who might obey the
strike call, could be obtained.
Several hundred pickcts, Mr.. Thomas
said, would operate throughout the city
in an effort to discourage "scabbing."
He continued:
"These pickets will be on the Job
at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning. We
will picket the main Offices of the wire
companies and scout pickets will tour
the city in an effort to get out en-
ployes in the hundreds of branch
offices who may go to work.
There are approximately 800 cable
operators working for the Western
Union and the Mackay Cable COM
panies, the Anglo-American Cable
Company and the United States and
Haiti Gable, all of which have either
Western Union or Postal affiliations.
We will picket these Offices and do our
best to get our men who remain at
their keys after the strike hour ar
rives.
Concerning press associations, the
United Press and the International
News Service are protected by con-
tracts and their operators will remain
at their posts," continued Mr.. Thomas.
IL cannot say whether the strike will
touch The Associated Press, which has
no contract with the union, although
it has never Disseminated against
union men, or brokers' offices or opera
tors working on newspaper special cir
cults"
Newcomb Carlton, president of the
Western Union, yesterday reiterated
his assertion that the strike would not
affect his system. Perhaps 500 Of our
10000 employees will be away to-mor-
row for family reasons, because they
want to remain at home or see baseball
games or similar causes. That is all.