Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-13
TeIegraphers' Leaders Offer
to Wait Until Company Gets
Full Control of Wires.
EFFECT OF WALKOUT
BRINGS VARIED CLAIMS
Operators Say It Is Growing. EN-.
ployers Assert Strikers Are
Returning to Work.


CHICAGO, June 13-First steps to-
ward a settlement of the nationwide
strike of commercial telegraphers
were taken today when officials of the
Commercial Telegraphers' Union of
America submitted to the Postal Tele-
graph Company conditions upon which
an agreement could be based
The conditions. in effect, provide
that the strike would be called off so
FAR as the Postal is concerned il that
company will agree to wage adjust
ments Immediately after full control
mas been given the company by the
wire administration
Inc conditions, which are under
stood to have been requested by the
Postal Telegraph Company. were for
warded to New York officials Of the
company today. according to reports
here.
Order Prevents Agreement Now.
Union officials said that an order is
sued some time ago by Postmaster
General Burleson, and still in effect.
PROMPTS the commercial tele-
graph companies from signing wage
contracts with their operators. For
ions were so drawn as to provide
tnat actual wage agreements would
not De entered into, nor other conceS-
sions granted until after the govern
ment had discontinued all control.
With the announced determination
country complete, SO far as CONNER
clal business is concerned. by next
monday, picketing committees in
scores OF towns and cities today set to
work urging telephone girls to Join
the strike. Many of the girls are af-
Inflated with the International Broth
erhood of Electrical Workers, which
has called strike for next Monday,
that will affect 10000 workers. ac-
corning to strike leaders.
We expect to make the telephone
tie-up as complete as that of the
conmercial telegraph service said
8. ]. Konenkamp, international presi-
dent of the Commercial Teiegraphers
OF America. He also stated that the
commercial service to the smaller
cities. and towns about the country
would be virtually paralyzed tomor-
row when the union railroad teleg-
raphers, members of the Order of
Railway Telegraphers, refused to
handle commercial business in lire
THE strike is growing, it started
small, but before next Tuesday there
will be no doubt as to its extent" he
said. -.---
The brokers division of the tele-
graphers union, which has 1000
members. will hold meetings in the
east and the west probably tonight
to decide whether they should strike
in sympathy, Konenkamp stated.
1t was estimated the number of
workers idle today exceeds $4,000,
with the number swelling hourly.
Moral support to the strikers will be
given by the American Train Dis
patchers' Association, according to a
statement today by its president, ].
G. LurSen.
On the other hand officials of the
Western Union and Postal Telegraph
companies claimed that a number who
left their keys on the first day Of the
strike had returned to work.
Explains as to r. r. Keymen.
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j.. June 10
E. J. Manion, president of the Order of
Railroad Telegraphers, has explained
that the strike called by him was not "a
complete strike, but simply one against
all commercial business of the Western
Union and the Postal Telegraph com
panies.
Twenty thousand railroad operators
said Manion. have for q long time been
anxious to get rid Of the Western Union
business they were handling. While they
have been dispatching trains and ham
ding railroad business, the Western
Union has required them to handle COM
business, for which they receiy-
ed no pay whatever. In many instances
they are required also to deliver mes
sages at points often several miles from
their stations.
THE situation now is that the railroad
operators sending commercial messages
into a Western Union relay office have
to send two 'scab' operators or two oper-
ators who would not leave their keys
in answer to the strike call Our men
simply will not handle these messages
any longer under these conditions"