The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-13
Take First Steps To End Tele-
graph WalkOut.
Operators Union Submits Con-
ditiOns to Postal.
PREDICT Big PHONE TIEUP
Railroad Keymen'sActio Helps
Broker Operators Next9
Over $4,000 Workers Idle, With
Number Rapidly Swelling.

Chicago, June 13.-First steps to-
ward settlement of the nationwide
strike of commercial telegraphers was
taken today when officials of the
fCommercial Telegraphers Union of
America submitted to the Postal COM
pany conditions upon which an agree
ment would be based.
The conditions in effect. provide
that the strike would be called off SO
far as the Postal is concerned if that
company will agree to wage adjust
ments Immediately after full control
wire admfnistra ton.
Requested by Postal.
The conditions which are understood
to have been requested by the Postal
Telegraph Co., were forwarded to New
York officials of the company today,
taccording to reports here. Union Of
ficials said an order issued some time
/ and still In effect, prohibits the COM
mercial telegraphers' companies from
signing wage contracts with their
operators For this reason. it was
stated. the conditions were so drawn
as to provide that actual wage agree
ments would not be entered into, nor
other concessions granted until after
the government had discontinued all
control.
1 With the announced determination
of making the wire tieup in the coun-
try complete, so far as commercial
business is concerned. by next Mon
day, picketing committees in scores OF
towns and cities today. set to work
urging telephone girls to join the
strike. Many Of the girls already are
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
which has called strike for mex
Monday that will affect 10000 work.
ers, according to strike leaders.
Big Phone Tieup.
I'VE expect to make the telephone
tieup as complete as that of the com
mercial telegraph service" said S. J
Konenkamp. international presiden
of the Commercial Telegraphers
Union of America. He also stated
that the commercial service to tn,
smaller cities and towns about tn,
. country would be virtually paralyzet
tomorrow when the union railroat
telegraphers, members of the Orde
of Railway Telegraphers refuse t,
handle commercial business in lin,
1 with an order sent out yesterday.
The strike is growing; it startet
small. but before next Tuesday ther
will be no doubt as to its extent" h.
said.
The brokers' division of the Teleg
: raphers union, which has some 200
members, will hold meetings in tn
least and the west probably tonight t,
decide whether they should strike IL
sympathy, Konenkamp stated
1t was estimated the number o
t workers idle today exceeds $4,000
s with the number swelling hourly
r Moral support to the strikers will b
given by the American Train Dis
patchers' association, according to
statement today by its president, J. G
s Luhrsen.
The Postal Telegraph company re
, | ported that in Chicago the operatin
= force was about 20 per cent normal.
: Strike leaders took issue with thi
. statement
The Western Union here reporte
= ! fifty-one strikers in the traffic de
= partment, only eighteen of whom ar
: Morse operators. Union leaders ais
!. claimed that these figures were "ridic
ulous"
!. Both companies said practically a
!. their messengers were on strike.
The strikers began distribution @
posters reading. I'VE fought autocrac
over there. Now we're fighting au
= tocracy over here"
Chicago. June 13.-Between $500
/. and 10000 telegraphers will hav
: Joined the nationwide strike called b
. the Commercial Telegraphers' union c
, America by tomorrow, S. ]. Konen
: kamp. president. predicted here toda,
Konenkamp declared this figure e2
tceeded the union membership, e1
\ planning that many non-union me
had walked out