Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-06-14
Strike Leaders Say 0. k. T. Action Will Tie Up
 Companies.
POSTAL COMPANY
 ASKS FOR TERMS
This May be First Step Toward Settlement, Expected to Affect Entire COun-
 try.

Chicago, June 13.-The second stage of the Commercial 1eieeraph- crs' strike will be reached tomorrow morning when railroad operators at 23,OO0 points in America are to dis continue handling commercial mes sages under an order issued by the Order of Railway Photographers.
 Such action, strike leaders declared tonight, will tie UP all commercial telegraph business except between the larger cities in which the Western Union and Postal Telegraph compan- ies maintain their own offices. Off cials of the Postal said that company would not be affected by the order, as little Postal business is handled through railroad stations.
 Western Union officials, while ex- pressing belief that the order could be rescinded, predicted that it's effect hould not have serious results. They estimated that the 23,000 points handling commercial business over railroad wires do not average more than five messages each day.
 Strike Is Spreading.
 Meanwhile. officers of the Conner cial Photographers Union of America, continued to receive reports indicat- ing that the strike is spreading s. J. Konenkamp, international president of the union, said the num- Der of strikers had reached 22,0O0; ] that the strike of electrical workers set for next Monday would add 13O,- 900 workings to the list of those idle, end that by early next week, tele- phone service in many cities and towns will be greatly impaired thru a wallsout of telephone operators. The brokers division of the tele- eraphers' union has been asked to take action. Meetings were to be held toni"ht and tomorrow at which it will be decided whether to strike in sym pathv.
 Claims Of strike leaders that the wakout is rapidly spreading were re- futed by officials of commercial com panies who said they were accepting business without restrictions and that conditions were practically normal. Postal Asks Terms. What appears as a possible step toward a settlement of the strike was taken today when officials of the | tolegranhers' union submitted to the Postal Telegraph company conditions upon which an agreement could be ] hased. The Postal is understood to have requested the information. The conditions. in effect. provide that the strike would be called off so far as the Postal is concerned if that com nany will agree to wage adjustments immediately after full control has been given the company by the wire ad- l lrninistraton.
 Union officials said that an order issued some time ago by Postmaster General Bnrleson and still in effect. prohibits the commercial teIepranh rcmpanies from signing wage con- tracts with their operators. For this reason. # was stated. the conditions were so drawn as to provide that ac- tual wage agreements would not be entered into. nor other concessions granted until after the government he'd discontinued all control. With the announced determination of making the wire tie-up in the coun- nv complete. so far as commercial
 business is concerned bv next Mon- dav picketino committees in scores
 of towns and cities today set to work
 ur",ng telephone girls to join the
 strike. Many of the girls already are 1 sffil'ated with the International
 Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
 which hos called strike for naxt
 Monday that will affnct 13O 900 work CTS, according to strike leaders.