The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-05
employees IN PLEA
Telephone Workers Want Com
pany To Get Rate Hike.
In This They See Only Chance
To Get a Raise.
APPEAR BEFORE P. U. C. TODAY
Many Towns Represented at
Informal Hearing Here.
An Increase in Rates Would
Mean Better Service.

The Kansas public utilities COM
mission is facing a new and unexpect-
ed situation today in the telephone
rate case. More than thirty employees
of the Southwestern Bell company in
Kansas today told commission mem
bers that the action to restrain the
rate increase meant only a prohibition
against wage increases and improved
service.
Perhaps the strangest situation ever
brought before the state commission
was presented in the informal hear
ing which Bell company employees
held with commission members this
afternoon. Representatives of the
commercial plant and traffic depart
ments told the commissioners that
their dreams of higher wages could
not come true unless higher service
rates were allowed. They also told
the commission that the incentive to
loyalty and efficiency would be de-
stroyed if service could not be reward
ed with increased pay.
Means Better Service.
]. S. Martin, representing the COM
mercial department of the Wichita Of
flee, acted as spokesman at the con-
ference. He said subscribers generally
had accepted the new rate schedules
because they tended toward better
service, more pay and improved work
ing conditions for employees. Martin
declared that the employees had tried
to maintain the efficiency of the sys-
tenn during the war believing that the
general increase in wage scales would
eventually affect them. He said en-
ployes generally were confronted with
the fact that their efforts could not
be rewarded unless the company could
increase its revenues thru advances in
rentals and service charges.
In the delegation which went before
the state commission at the state house
this afternoon were a number of WON
en-. These women told of conditions
among hello" girls and the efforts of
heads of traffic departments to retain
employees in the face of higher wage
offerings by other corporations. A
denial of increased revenues to the
company, the young women urged, en-
Joined the granting of a just wage to
the employees which the company de-
sired to paw.
Railroad Cases Cited.
Increased rates were allowed the
railroads that they might pay higher
wages to their employees" Martin said
But now the telephone employees are
confronted by a suit which the public
utilities commission urges to enjoin in
creased rates to the telephone com.
/ pany. That suit in effect enjoins bet
/ ter wages for telephone workers, who
must meet the same high cost of l,v-
! ing as the railroad employees. Sub.
! scribers generally have indicated theil
acceptance of the new rates because
/ the increased charge will allow in
creased wages to employees, as we'll as
! the establishment of better and more
thoro working organization and inn
proved service"
Martin and other members of the
delegation urged that the commission
| conduct an investigation OF the new
rate order with consideration of wages
/ of employees and the present high cost
| of operation. The hearing before the
! commission was informal, altho the
| commission directed the TRANSFERRING
| of the statements of Martin and other
| members of the delega ton represent
| ing several thousand employees of the
| Southwestern Bell company in Kan
sas.
Many Towns Represented.
A number of Kansas towns were
\ represented at the hearing today
! Among employees who appeared in
| support of the new rate order were
/ Commercial departments. S. Mar
tin, Wichita; Bert Emerson Great
| Bend; W. c. Penfield. Chanute; w. NJ
! Thistle. Atchison; T. B. Cochran
! Hutchinson; c. j. York. Coffeyville
! p. B. Jordan, Pittsburg; Margarei
Barndollar wellington. Plant depart
ments-Ed Darnell, Wichita; B. B
| Holgate, kinsley; L. ]. Cassidy, WITCH.
! tia; NJ. j. Zeigler, Pittsburg; c. w
Lowther, lola; John O'Brien. Coffey.