The Washington herald., 1919-06-20
WAR RISK BARS
z WIRE STRIKERS
Who SEEK WORK
Burleson Declared by Chief
Clerk Not to Have Been
Influential In Case.
WALK-OUTS GIVEN OK.
Electrical Unionists Get
Sanction Of LayOf Where
Order Is Ignored.

Striking telegraphers Of the West
ern Union and Postal telegraph com
panies are barred from obtaining en-
ployment in any government depart
ment. under a ruling Of the Civil
Service Commission. which Chief
Clerk Edward D. Batchelder Of the
War Risk Bureau applied to two OF
the strikers yesterday.
s. J. Small. former international
president of the telegraphers' union,
and Clyde l. Cox were the strikers
denied employment
Statement by Small.
Following the incident at the War
Risk Bureau. this statement was is
sued by Small:
In order to prove beyond question
that Postmaster General Burleson is
using his influence as a government
official to prevent Western Union and
Postal telegraphers who are on strike
from obtaining employmnt elsewhere.
1 myself, accompanied by Clyde l.
Cox.( returned soldier. formerly en-
ployed by the Western Union, applied
at Room L, Arlington Building. this
afternoon. stating that we wanted
employment as typists. adding that
We were experts. having been employ
ed formerly as telegraphers.
Are you strikers?'' asked Mrs.
Bailey. secretary to Chief Clerk Batch
elder. A reply in the affirmative
brought the information that we could
not be employed unless we furnished
a release from the Western Union.
A request to see the chief clerk was
denied.
Mr.. Cox produced his army GER
uncate OF honorable discharge, say
ing: If 1t is found impossible to pro-
cure letter of release from the West
ern Union, will these papers help
anyr
NO was the decisive reply"
- Denies HaIlng Exists.
Mr. Batchelder, informed of the
incident, denied emphaticaIIy that
any rule or order had been issued
to his department that no striking
Western Union workers be en-
ployed.
He said Postmaster General Bur-
Lesson has not attempted to influence
either the Bureau of War Risk In
surance or any other government
department. as alleged by Small. to
refuse employment to strikers.
There is a rule" said Mr.. Bat
wi Gfa
any one government department
may employ former workers Of an
other department, those employees
who want work must secure re-
leases from their department.
The Bureau of War Risk In
surance has not nor does it con-
template refusing to hire workers
because they are strikers. II any
of the persons mentioned (the
strikers) can secure releases. and
are satisfactory otherwise to the
War Risk. ] know of no reason
why they should not be employed
If they are needed"
Under Federal Control
The Western Union Telegraph
Company is still under governme mt
control, Mr.. Batchelder states, and
therefore the civil service rule
would apply there just the same as
in any other government depart
ment.
Even though it may be said that
the control of the Western Union
is but semigovernment control. the
government has enough to say
about the affairs of thee ompany, 1t
was stated. to keep in force the
- q
government department from seur-
ing work in another department
without first securing releases.
strikes Given Sanction.
Springfield. I'LL. June 19-The Inter-
national Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers has sanctioned strikes where
companies fail to live up to the oriler
of Postmaster General Burleson. Lo-
Gals in Chattanooga, Tenn. and
Jacksonville. Fla. and the brother
hood in California and Nevada are
striking because companies refuse to
recognize the Postmaster Generals
order.
Atlanta Negotiations Stop.
Atlanta, Ga, June 19-Negotiatior,y
between the Southern Bell Telephone
Company and a strikers committee
wer Temporarily halted today. after
the committee had presented creden-
tiaIs signde by eighty-two striking
operators. Officials of the company
said the number of signatures was
not sufficient to establish the commit
tees authority.
Columbia. S. c., June 19.-James
Cline and Earnest Greathouse, alleg-
ed strike leaders, are under arrest
here. accused of cutting telephone and
telegraph wires Strike leaders deny
these charges.
Radio Operators Suspected.
San Francisco June 1s.-Claining the
Western Union is using navy radio
operators as telegraphers, Patrick
O'onnor. president OF the local tel
egraphers' union. prepared a protest
to local naval heads.
Georgian Heads Rotary Clubs.