Arizona republican., 1919-06-12
WIRE BUSINESS NUT SERIOUSLY
 HURT BY STRIKE
Konenkamp Says 5000 Are Out - President Carlton Claims Only 121 W. U. Operators Quit Hope Is Expressed End of Week Will Show More

CHICAGO, June 11.-Union leaders declared tonight that the first days response to the call for a nation wide strike of Commercial telegraph oper ators gave promise that the tie-up would be complete in three days de- spite claims of company officials that the strike has failed.
 Reports received by the Associated Press from many towns in various sec tions Of the country indicated commer cial telegraph business was not ser iously interrupted in most districts A statement by President Carlton of the Western Union Telegraph com pany that only about 166 persons. 12l of the operators, answered the strike call, brought from s. J. Konenkamp international president of the Commer cial Photographers Union of America, a remark that more than that number of Western Union employees in Chicago alone had joined the strike by noon today
 Reports up 10 late today point to a ninety per cent response in the Postal Telegraph company service. and sev- enty per cent response from Western Union employees" said Konenkamp, in a statement to the Associated Press tonight.
 East Didn't Strike
 "The east has shown up surprisingly well, and in the southeast alone, the number of strikers now exceeds 5000. Telephone workers have added to the strikers numbers in Philadelphia, New orleans, Columbia, :. C., and Bruns- wick, Ga When the electrical workers go on a nationwide strike Monday. additional telephone workers also will go out. Railroad telegTaphers in all parts of the country are refusing com mercial busneiss and trouble anew is impending in Canada, because of re- tusal of Canadian telegraphers to han dle American business
 In a statement declaring only a few Western Union operators had quit Ed ward F. Wach, deputy vice president oi the Association of Western Union em- ployes, said the S0O0O members of that organization were not concerned with the c. T. U. A. demands. SiXty-five per cent of Western Union employees are represented in the association, he said The association has an agreement with the Western Union. whereby it is recognized and is permitted to bargain collectively for wages and hOurs,' he
 
 rart increase under Postmaster Gen. eral Burleson and are promised adjust ment of certain parts of a schedule, en- cred into with the company, which was not fulfilled by the postmaster general.
 Few w. U. Employees Out
 Reports from locals in all sections of the country show Western UnioI employees on the job with a few excep ions, which are negligible.
 To substantiate his claims, MT. Wacl displayed telegrams from association officials in various districts saying con litions were normal
 Our Detroit advices are that thu Postal men went out and at noon wer' seeking lunch money from Westerl Union employees" he said.
 He said that not a single operate in the Western Union Chicago offic struck. and explained that empty chain were merely for use when emergenc. relay sets were in operation. To this Konenka1np asserted that the vacan chairs were occupied yesterday
 E. ". Collins, general superintendent of the Postal Telegraph company i Chicago, admitted that a large numbe of their 800 operators had quit, but in sisted that if the agitatOrs about tn building were driven away. many em ployes would come to work.
 Police protection was asked by tn Western Union here, after numerou street clashes of a minor charactel Delivery service was hampered late i the day when all Western Union mes senger boys at the main office, wit the exception of four, joined the strik' II was charged that they had been in timidated and messages taken froI them.
 Is Fight to Finish
 Many Of the Postal messengers her also struck in sympathy.
 Mir. Collins said he did not kno' how the general situation vas as { Postal strikers, but that the compan had not been seriously affected.
 we expect quick improvement" I said.
 Speaking at a meeting of strikers tc night, Konenkamp said the telegraph CTS would fight all the way to preveI further discrimination against unio workers"