The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-13
EFFECT IF STRIKE ON WIRE TRAFE!!le, IMPERCEPT,!!p's,',:,s'..o,
 SHOWu < x <,xfORTS
Union Officials Now Claim 1S,000 Operators Idle and Predict Complete Tie-Up '. by Monday-Many of
 Strikers Returning
By Associated Press

Chicago, June 12.-Despite claims of union officials that 10,000 telegraph operators were idle today, and that the tie-up would be complete by Monday, commercial telegraph business, particularly between the larger cities, is being ham, dled on practically a normal basis, according to reports of the commercial companies here tonight
 Officers of the Commercial Telegraph CTS Union of America, which called .he strike to enforce demands that the workers be permitted to organize, bar gain collectively and obtain adequate wages" were elated over an announce ment from St. Louis that union railroad telegraphers were ordered to discontinue handling commercial business after six a. m. Saturday. The order was issued by E. J. Manion, president of the Order of Railroad Photographers and affects 8o,000 operators, it was stated
 Whether the railroad operators would be called out on sympathetic strike will depend on developments of the next few days, it was stated.
 The strike leaders gained further con fidence through adoption by the Ameri- can Federation of Labor of a resolution pledging moral support to the strike called for June 16, by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The union men claim the brotherhod has a membership, of more than 100000, which includes the bulk of the union telephone operators throughout the country. Chas. Ford, secretary of the Brotherhood, denied reports that some of the mem bers already had walked out in sym pathy with the striking telegraphers. BROKER OPERATORS TO JOIN
 $. J. Konenkamp, president of the Commercial Photographers Union of America who is directing the strike from headquarters here, after number of long distance telephone conversations with eastern representatives declared as- surance had been given that the broker operators in New York would join the strike as soon as developments warrant ed such action.
 Meanwhile officials of the company claim that the strike has been a com plete failure far as that company is concerned, and officials of the Postal Telegraph Company assert that traffic is being moved without interruption.
 The association of Western Union em- ployes, which represents 65 percent of the employees of the Western Union, re- ceved telegrams from all sections of the country today saying all workers were reporting for duty, despite the 'propa- ganda of the strikers to spread the trouble"
 Fewer Postal employees were out today than yesterday, according to reports to the Chicago office.
 President Konenkamp charged that the refusal of Postmaster General Burleson to- enforce the rule prohibiting discrimi- l nation against union workers had brought on the strike He said that MT. Burleson had been informed before the strike was called that all controversies would be cleared up if he would permit the right of collective bargaining and establishment of a tribunal to fix fair wages.
 The Postal Telegraph Company in Chicago, which was hard hit by the strike yesterday, reported conditions greatly improved today.
 Delivery service of both the Western Union and Postal was greatly hampered here by the strike of all messengers.