The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-01-11

unions and are preparing to de-
fend their demands for a reason
able standard Of living.
Ninety per cent of the men are
for public ownership and opera
tion,' said Wilbur F.. Braggins
Of the headquarters staff of the
Brotherhood Of Railway Clerks.
"They have learned the differ
ence between public and private
operation, in wages and conditions
for themselves, and they know
that the only assurance Of per-
manent public operation is public
ownership
The Operation of the Wires.
AS to the wires, Burleson has
them for the present, and he
wants the government to buy and
operate them as a permanent adj
dition to the postal service. But
Burleson is to be taken with a
few reservations. His refusal to
deal with the unions Of postal en-
ployes, and his feudal attitude
toward the right Of the postal
workers to a decent standard of
living, have been a national scan
dial for years. Now he has taken
to his bosom as head of all the
telegraphs and cables Newcomb
Carleton, president of the Western
Union Telegraph company, the
man who dismissed 700 telegraph
ers last summer because they
joined a union, and who defied
not merely the war, labor board
but the president Of the United
States when the government at
tempted to protect these men.
Clarence Mackay, head Of the
Postal Telegraph, refused the job.
Possibly Burleson is grateful to
Carleton for having raised the
issue which gave the government
it's excuse for taking over the
wires, but it is more likely that
Carleton has been put in charge
of all the telegraph service Of the
nation because Of the fact that
he is as bitter against trade unions
as Burleson is himself.
Eight Per Cent on Water.
A curious story is told by
Mackay's friends concerning this
deal between Burleson and the
Western Union. It is said that
whereas the Western Union, hope
lessly saturated with water was
given a generous 8'per cent guar
anty, based on their outstanding
capitalization, which was much
better than it, had been earning,
the Postal Telegraph stockhold-
ers were given guaranteed in
come based on a physical valua-
ton Of the property. The Postal
company is owned by the Mackay
family and a few associates, and
it's stock has never been sold on
the market, hence its capitaliza-
ton is small and it's earnings on
the capitalization have been big.
1t has been paying about $4,000
900 a year, and it is now cut by
Burleson to- about 100000 a
year. Mackay claims that his
company's income is being con-
fiscated by Burleson and turned
over to the holders Of the watered
stock of Theodore Wallis and Car
leton's companies-the Western
Union and it's subsidiaries.
Burleson denies that he has
been unfair to the Postal Tele-
graph concern, but it is told that
Doctor Friday, his statistician, re-
ported unfavorably on the plan
which was adopted. In any
event, the public will pay less trib-
ute to the Mackay family, and
more tribute to the Vail and Car
Teton families, for the upkeep of
footmen and French maids this
winter.
John L. Kingsbury, vice presi-
dent of the Western Union, is
close to the .Burleson bosom also.
He was even permitted to sit in
the conference at which the Pos
tai Telegraph rate of compensa-
ton was fixed, although none of
the Postal crowd was permitted
to witness the bargain for pay
ment to the Western Union. Next
day First Assistant Postmaster
General Rooms was entertained
by Kingsbury at a country club,
and later Rooms was escorted
around the country in the pri-
vate railroad car Of the Western
Union company officials
Where Is Lewis?
All this while, Theodore N. Vail,