The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-14
RAILROAD KEYMEN
 AT 23,OOO POINTS ]. ID STOP HANDLING
 MESSAGESJODAY
Konenkamp Plf sy Number of Strikers a HH,0OO and Says 1900 Will Be Added f-ist by
 N s.ay
 By Associated Press

Chicago, June 13.-The sec ond stage of the commercial telegraphers' strike will be reached tomorrow morning when railroad operators at 23,0O0 points in America are to discontinue handling conner clal messages under an order issued by the Order of Railway Photographers.
 Such action, strike leaders declared to- night, will tie up all commercial tele- graph business except between the larg- CT cities in which the Western Union and Postal companies maintain their own of fices. Officials of the Postal said that company would not be affected by the order as little Postal business is handled through railroad stations.
 Western Union officials. while express ing belief that the order would be res cinded, predicted that it's effect would not have serious results.
 They estimated that the 2s,ooo points handling commercial business over rail- road wires do not average more than five messages a day.
 STRIKE REPORTED SPREADING
 Meanwhile officers of the commercial telegraphers' union of America continued to receive reports indicating that the strike Is spreading. S. J. Konenkanp, international president of the union, said the number of strikers had reached 1000; that the strike of electrical work CTS set for Monday would add 1S0,000 workers to the list of those idle and that by early next week telephone service in many cities and towns will be greatly im- paired through walkout of telephone op- orators.
 Practically all union telephone operators are members of the electrical workers un ion. Committees set to work in many cities today picketing among telephone operators who are being urged to join the strikers.
 The brokers division of the telegraphers union has been asked to take action. Meetings were to be held tonight and to- morrow at which it will be decided whe- lIGI tO StTlhc III IHpdtny. StTlke ledu- CTS said a walkout of brokers operators would block transmission of financial business to such an extent that business on Wall street would be greatly hampered.
 CLAIMS REFUTED
 Claims of strike leaders that the walk out is rapidly spreading were refuted by officials of commercial companies who said they were accepting business with etr;o hat practically normal.
 The Association of Western Union Elm ployes, representing 65 per cent of West ern Union workers, announced that the small number of strikers in that company had returned to work.
 Postal officials likewise stated that conditions were improving and that the Chicago office, which was hard hit on the first day of the strike. is operating about 70 per cent normal"
 CONDITIONS SUBMITTED
 committee representing the strikers submitted to the Postal conditions upon which a settlement could be reached.
 They provided that the company agree to wage adjustments after the govern ment has released control of the com pany The conditions were forwarded to New York
 The union men charged that Postmaster General Burleson had, in sense, ueu the hands of the commercial companies by prohibiting the signing of wage con tracts.'
 The number of Chicago strikers was placed at 800 by strike leaders. The Western Union said only 51 persons were absent from the operating de- partment and the Postal announced that of the $50 operators, 70 per cent were at work
 The messengers of both companies still are on strike.