New-York tribune., 1919-03-23
Postal Officials Deny
Refusal to Obey; accuse
BurlesOn of Pretence

The removal Of Clarence Mackay and
his associates from all connection
with the management of postal tele-
General Burleson, completes the elm
ination Of Mackay officials from man.
agement of the company's wires, which
was begun last November with the re-
moval of Edward Reynolds, vice-presi-
dent and general manager.
The only Postal man connected with
the system is Charles p. Bruch, a vice
president, who succeeded Mr.. Rey-
nolds, in charge of operation three
months ago. He was designated yes
terday as the representative of A. F..
Adams, president of the Home Tele-
phone Company, Of Kansas City, a
member of the Burleson Board Of
Operation at Washington, who was
placed in control of the Mackay wires
by the Postmaster General.
Mr., Deegan, speaking for Mr.. Mackay,
who is absent from the city, said last
night that the only Burleson board
order ever disobeyed was one to in
crease telegraph rates. That was last
January after the ousting of Mr.. Rey-
nolds, who was removed, according to
his own statement last night, because
he insisted on compensation based on
earnings, and not on bare poles and
copper wire.
Says Burleson Warped Facts
Supplementing this the Postal of
ficials issued a formal statement, de
claring that Mr.. Burleson had dis
torted facts in stating that one in
stance of disobedience was a failure
to institute a new wage schedule. 1t
was arrested that on the contrary a
wage schedule had been worked out
which was more generous than that
prescribed by the Postmaster General
The declaration also was made that
Mr.. Burleson's statement was pre-
tence, and further that the govern
ment's course was in effect to take
money from the Postal for the West
ern Union.
The ousting of the Mackay officials
was accomplished at noon yesterday
G: M. York, vice president of the
of the Bell Telephone Company, and
Mr.. Adams called at the Postal oCm-
panys general Offices at 253 Broad
way, as representatives Of the Burlc-
son Board, and served copies of the
order; This order stated in part that
Mr.. Adams, acting for the Postmaster
General should take over all funds
and accounts of the Postal Telegraph
and all records of the corporation per-
tanning to transactions. since the roy-
ernment took over the wires last July.
Mr.. Adams, Mr.. York and Mr.. Bethel
were referred to Mr.. Bruch, who, ac-
cordlng to Mr.. Deegan, was placed by
them in charge Of actual wire opera
tions.
Officials Issue Statement
The statement issued by the postal
officials follows:
This order of Burleson was de-
livcred to us at / 2o'clock to-day, with
notice, and in the absence of Mr.. Mac
kay over the week end.
"Burleson gives as a reason for the
order that we have failed to carry out
his orders and instructions. We do n OF
know what Burleson refers to in the
way of orders and instructions. This
is all q pretence..
"'rhe statement by Burleson that we
failed properly to put into effect the
wage schedule is a distortion. We an
nonnced an increase in the wages of
all our employees on March 5, 1918, to
take effect on January 1 1919. which
was more generous than that ordered
by Burle son.
"The Burleson schedule was based
entirely on the Western Union plan
of organization, which is different from
ours, and it was impossible to apply
Burleson's schedule to our organiza-
ton.
Accused of Confiscation
'Burleson is trying to confiscate ou1
money in order to pay it to the West.
ern Union. He ordered that we shall
: have less than we earn, and that the
Western Union shall have more thar
it earns,
"The three men who came to the