The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-07
THREAT AFFECTS
NY. TELEGRAPHERS



Of Government control ends.n
This letter later was given out as
public stasment by Mr.. Burieson.
The committee held q meeting to-day,
with N. c. Klngsbury. yice-president of
the American Telegraph and Telephone
Company, before It as n witness.
When Mr.. Kingsbury told the CONF
mittse that the Hprleson order Of last
night did not mean return OF the wires
to their owners Senator Kellogg (Minn-)
said: Then his order was simply .
piece Of aimham- 1t doesn't amount to
anything"
Wasn't Il the purpose to pass ne
buck on the striker" Senator Watson
(Ind.l demanded.
Senator Kellogg asked u the Burlsson
order meant REIMBURSEMENT OF the wire
eystems by the Government Mr.. Klnss-
bury said II did not
only Dodsed Responsibility.
Then Burleson turned back the re-
sponsibility and kept the control" COM
msnted Senator Kellogg. Mr.. Kings
bury said the authority OF the Operating
Board was merely transferred to the
Wire Control Board.
Does Burleson still have the same
powers over the companies that he had
DetoreT asked the benAhoE
Yes" said Mr.. Kingsbury.
In view of this situation the COM
mlttee decided to 20 ahead with con-
sideration of the legislation to turn the
wires back II was agreed by the COM
mittee that tho Pomsrene amendment
10 the resolution to turn the wires back,
which provided that the present rates
should remain in effect for sixty days
after this action, should be changed 20
that there should be no change In rates
for ninety days following this action.
Dlsmissals by the Bell and Kinloch
telephone companies at St Louis OF en-
ployees because Of union Affiliations
we're denied by the Wire Control Board
tonight. On the basis of the report OF
post office inspector sent there TO
Investigate, II was announced that these
charges had not been sustained and that
no further action would be taken by
| the Post Office Department.
Mcdowell States Grievances.
An open letter to Postmaster-General
| Burleson and Newcomb Carlton, pFesi-
dent of the Western Union, was
made public tonight by +. H. Mcdowell
member Of the grievance COMMITTEES
Of the Commercial Telegraphers Union
demanding specific answers to number
| of pertinent questions. In effect the
letter said:
First-why were Messrs. Carlton
and Vail, under Government control
| OF the wire systems, permitted to re-
| duce salaries Of employees more than
| 100000 since August last to
| date7
| Second-why have the people been
imposed upon by an increase Of wire
rates while the efficiency Of the SER
| vice has been lowered to the point
where II has become a joker
Third-Why did Assistant Post
| master-General Rooms refuse to re-
employ ten employees Of the New
Orleans Western Union office who
were unfairly discharged and who 1t
| was falsely claimed had been given
two fair and impartial trials when
as a matter of fact they had never
| once appeared.
The letter then recites the controversy
over the figures. reiterating that Instead
OF salaries to employees being increased
they had been decreased under Govern
ment control and declares that the SIG,
600, 900 realized from increased rate
was merely "gouging" the public.
The letter declares that ten times al
many Western Union wiremen hsv'
struck in the South as the company ha
admitted and that the number OF strik'
breakers being sought bears out thu
hgures 1t promises too that Washing
ton and the New York Western uniol
wiremen will receive q strike order or
Saturday night