The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-08
OFFENSIVE Is TAKEN
BY WESTERN UNION
100 Operators in New York
Discharged on Admitting
Readiness to Strike.
NOT AFRAID OF RESULTS
President Carlton Explains
COmpany's Treatment Of
All It's Employees.

Tactics of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company yesterday in ascertain
Ing the loyalty os its operators presaged
the certainty OF national strike OF the
Commercial Telegrnphers' Union. which
was ordered in Chicago last night to
take effect next Wednesday.
One hundred operators, men and
women. were reremptorily discharged
from the service of the Western Union
in New York yesterday when the OPP
Grating department learned that they
were members OF the union and would
Join the strike II 1t should be ordered.
The chief operator OF the Western
Union called these men and women on
the telephone yesterday and asked:
''If a strike Is to be called on Monday
by the c. T. u. will you remain on the
job?'
About 100 answered in the negative
and were promptly told their services
were no longer required. 1t Is said by
the company that this was a preventive
measure-that these men and women
comprised the radical element I'm the
service, and that 1t was safer to dis
charge them before the strike than per-
nit them to be agitators on the job.
There was evidence to show that the
Western Union service will not be para
lyzed by the strike, for majority of the
Association of Western Union Employees
who are opposed to the strike weapon
This organization claims $4,000 men,
bers out of a total of 10000 eligil lie
y employees. In the city of New York I.
is said to have ala members.
L. +. Tebeau deputy vice-president OF
the metropolitan division, stated last
s night that the assertions of the Com.
mercial Photographers Union with re-
strike in the South are greatly exag-
gerated. Instead of 5000 men out, he
says the official number Is 276.
Extension of strike Discussed.
Extension of the strike of southern
union telegraph operators to a national
walkout is in no way feared apparently
by the officials of the Western Union.
At conference yesterday afternoon
during which the entire situation was
gone over carefully, Newcomb Carlton
president of the Western Union, de.
clared that reports from other cities
Indicated conclusively that a nationwide
strike will not tie up his lines.
THE telegraph service is clear through
the whole country" he said. There Is
an ample force to handle our needs and
! there Is no delay. | am anxious TO have
the union leaders try out their plan
They might as we'll call a national strike
IT will be n test of their strength, but
II will eliminate for all time persons
who seek to interrupt the continuity OF
the telegraph service for their owr
ends and in response to the aims of ir-
responsible union officials. Let them cal
the strike and see how Il goes"
The strike in the South has made lit
tie Roadway, he said, and the servic,
throughout the State affected In tn,
Atlanta division was efficient Throughout
the day. AS an evidence OF his conf
dence that there would be no delay II
delivery of messages, Mr.. Carlton in
vited the public to make their own test.
by trying to send messages
The report that c. +. Mann. southern
organizer of the Commercial Teleg
raphers' Union of America. had re
scinded the strike order in North anC
South Carolina amused Mr. Carlton, for
he said a strike order would be useless
in those States anyway. He was conf
dent that a great majority OF the oper
ators would remain loyal to the Western
Union lines
mo order they can issue will be fel
on our lines" he said
Attitude of Company Explained.
Discussing the basis for the i'll feel
ing toward the Western Union by tn
Carlton said
Prior to the Government ASSUMING
control OF the Western Union system
the policy of the company was not t
permit its operators to affiliate wit
any union that employed the strike
either for themselves or sympatheticall
for the benefit of others. The reaso
for this lies In the fundamental neces
sity for continuity OF telegraph service
The telegraph is the service of tn
nation, and 1t Is inconceivable that
great national system like the Wester
Union can operate with a part of it
system Interrupted by strikes. A loca
Industry, however large ii may be, ca
be stopped by a strike for an indefait
period and the-hardship entailed is of
local character. But a national syster
OF immediate communication. in orde
to be effective, .pust be operated a
every point.
"A UNION affiliated with other union
that employ the strike would be calle