The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-21
BURLESON kicks
OVER PROPAGANDA
AGAINST WORKERS
Postmaster General Com
plains That Few AgitatOrS
Are Stirring Up Trouble by
False Charges.

NEW YORK, March si-PoStmAster-
General Burleson, in = letter made pub
lie here, to Secretary 81 IAhor wilson
regarding the aber ~situAtloa in eonnee-
ton with the governments control Of
telegraph and telephons wires, eAArrea
that a Few aS1tators are oantinuously
conducting propaganda which endSn-
gers unnecessary discrimination amonr
employees, The p~ostofYcc aepartmSnfs
pollcles ara misrepresented Mr. Rurle-
son declares. SO that the impression IA
created the government dtscriminAteS
AGAINST employees who are members on
labor unions
The acknowledgement asserts eaytsl
treatment In the matteNaf Mares een-
dttionS and consideration Of grievances
gwen hoth 70 unton and ~non0ntcn
employees, and denies that there has
been permitted any discrimination
against employees because Of labor union
affiliations,
The letter deals with q memorandum
prepared by Felix Frankfurter, chair.
man OF the war labor policies board.
TeiatlNe 10 telephone and TELEGRAPH
workers, which Secretary Wilson had
asked the postmRstsr-Eeneral 10 con.
slider. Mr.. Burieson declares that PNf
Frankfurter. in studying this situation.
did not consult the possoffice depart
ments wire control board, Of which Mr..
Burleson is chairman. and that Pref.
Fr~ankturter consequently failed TO learn
facts.
Blames Agitators.
Much of the dissatisfaction which
now prevails" the letter reads, "is not
due 10 any failure on III part 20 rene
uE CLAIMS as TO wages or hours or
working conditions. but is due entirely
TO the Few agitators and the propaganda
VIII. v fnRN haxa nznNR-.1A.9f- z.-A,v.4
e.. SuAny Of these persons have no
connection with the telegraph or tels-
pIone s~ervices have 10 interest in its
suocesstul operation. and their liveli-
hood depends on their ability 10 en-
gender a belief In the minds OF the m
ployes that they r serving them,
which they seek 10 do by fomenting dis
content and dissatisfaction. In at
tempting TO do this they do not hesitate
10 misrepresent our policies, the condi-
tions existing in the service, or matters
affecting employees"
Mr.. Burleson alludes to orders which
have been issued from time to time to
the various wire companies under fed
eral control, and points out that these
orders prove that employees have the
privilege Of Joining labor unions II
they wish to do so. and also that EN-
uloyes a been permitted individual
or collective bargaining regardless Of
membership in unions. He deniss-th
truth Of "the widely heralded ate
ments made by the few agitators that
employees dismissed because of union
affiliations (while wire companies were
under private control)' have been re-
fused employment because Of those at
filiations. His letter contains re-em-
ployment statistics intended to show
no such discrimination was maintained.
Mr.. Burleson refers to strikes in va
rious parts Of the country and declares
the governments policies were such
that union and nonunion employees were
treated with the same fairness. adding
the method OF the few a~gitators and
labor leaders in dealing with members
Of their union is truly autocratie and
hurtful to many employees and car not
be condoned or looked upon with favor
by the government"
The governments wire administration,
Mr.. Burleson says, Is endeavortng as
rapidly as possible to remedy bad work
ing conditions and to right inadequate
wage rates.