Norwich bulletin., 1919-04-17
Effort to PIacate
 Telephone Strikers
Burleson and Tumulty Urge Strikers to Return to Work and Submit Demands to General Manager.

Washington, April 16.-Steps to- ward settlement of the strike of New England telephone operators were talk cn today by Postmaster General Bur leson and Secretary Tumulty. Each official urged the strikers to return to work immediately and submit their demands for higher wage scale and recognition of the right of collective bargaining to the general manager of the New England Telephone and Tel egraph Company.
 The operator; were assured by both the postmaster general and Secretary Tumulty that their application would be acted upon promptly after it's sub mission to the general manager of the company, who has been authorized
 tn accept and proposed agreement and recommend it's adoption by the wire operating board.
 In q statement given out late to- day after a conference with Secretary Tumulty, MT. Burleson declared that the postoffice department was not free to grant wage increases which would have to be paid for by the public, without carefully inqUiring into the | relation between revenues and CXpen- ditures," of the company. He promls- l ed, however, that if the increases were | found to be just and reasonable, 1 they would be granted even if the i charges to the public had to be ad- | Nanced.
 sloH!ns eQl pouIuM uosoIInd tIM 1 that unless they returned to work al once, the people of New England, now l suffering seriously from the joss ol service" would turn against them anl would be less likely to give the em- ployes tEe support necessary to war rant favorable government action. Mir Burlesons $ statement follows
 "Tne issue invol~ed in the strike O the telephone operators in New Eng land IS b- no means confined to th( simple question whether the emplCye; are entitled to higher wages. The reo pie of New England, now suffering s' | seriously from the loss of service eventually must determine WheIhe they are willing to pay more for sucl
 service ill the future than they hay III the past.
 "The postoffice department, who's first responsibility is to the public fdoes rot feel free to grant wage in crcascs, which must pe paid for Dy tn public which uses the services, with , out carefully inQuiring into the rela
 tion between revenues and eXpendi
 lures. If the expenditures are increas
 ed beyond the point where the reNe
 nues no longer yield Q fair return up on the investment either the efticiena of the service must be lowered or els the charges to the public must be ill
 creased.
 l Tn the public interest, ordinary bus iness. caution must be observed. During the period of governrneT :, management, the DoStoflice depart t ment feels that it cannot grant wag l increases meTely upon dmand from th ? employees. \ strike on the part of crf ! plcycG working for the government < . not permissible. Sound public opinio . can always be depended upon to se cure for them absolute justice. s must always be kept in mind that . strike cannot be successful Withol ; public approval The employees Shou = realize that the pubic interest is il 0 volved and should return to work ; 5 once upon the assurance that the
 demands will be carefully investigate
 to determine whether increased wag,
 can be granted without impairne' s ot the financial stability of the con # panies. If the increase they q. e prove to be just and reasonable, u IS increases will be granted ill al e event, even though, in order to col V tinue efficient .ervicC, the charges .e the public must be increased. But |
 pubic interest cannot be sacrificed u e. on the mere demand of any set Of CT l. ployes.
 Ie If 1he employees will submit the lc demands to the general manager, al J. return to work, they have the assu
 ance of the government that they " le be dealt with fairly. If they contin m to disregard the public interest, | " public will be less likely to give | l. employees the support necessary
 warrant favorable government actiol