Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-06-12
REPORTS OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
INDICATE 7 = BUSINESS NOT
SERIOUSLY Al11 :: i :s'i::5'Ss ;:;5s::ss N MOST
SECTIONS OF UNT1tD STATES
Union Leaders Declare That
Communications viii Be
Tied Up Completely Within
a Three Days Period.
POSTAL SEEMS HIT
HARDER THAN OTHERS
Police Protection Asked BY
Western Union in Chicago,
After Several Clashes in the
Streets.

SosHiHo toUsnkL SpIctal ttAste ~isu
Chicago, June II. -- Union leaders
declared tonight that the first days
response to the call for a nation wide
strike Of commercial telegraph opera
tors gave promise that the ue-af
would be complete in three days, de-
spite cluims OF company officials that
the strike has failed,
Reports received by the Associated
Press from many towns in various
sections of the country indicated COM
mercial telegraph business was not Sc
rioGsly interrupted in most districts.
A statement by President Carlton
of the Western Union Telegraph COM
pany. that only about l66 persons.
l21 OF them operators, answered the
strike call brought from S. ]. Konen-
kamp, international president of the
Commercial Photographers Union of
Amer. ca, remark that more than
that number OF Western Union em-
ployes in, Chicago alone had poined
the strike by noon today. Reports
up TO late today point to 80 per
cent response in the Postal Telegraph
company service and 20 per cent re-
sponse from Western Union employees
said konekamp in a statement to
the associated Press tonight.
"The east has shown up surpris-
ingy well, and in the southeast alone
the number of strikers now exceeds
5000, Telephone workers have added
TO the strike numbers IN Philadelphia,
New Orleans. Columbia. S. c.. and
Brunswick, Ga. When the electrical
" rkers go on nationwide strike Mon
day, additional telephone workers also
viii go out, Railroad telegraphers In
all parts of the country are refusing
commercial business and trouble anew
is impending in Canada because of re-
fusal of Canadian telegraphers TO
handle American business
Statement by Wach.
In a statement declaring only a few
Western Union operators had quit.
Edward +. Wach, deputy vice presi-
dent of the Association of Western
Union Employees, said the 10000 mem
bers of that organization were not
concerned with the c. T. U A. de-
mands. Sixty-five per cent of all
Western Union employees are repre-
sented in the association he said.
THE association has an agreement
with the Western Union whereby It
is recognized and is permitted to bar
gain collect vely for wages and hours
he said. I'VE obtained five and ten
per cent increase under Postmaster
General Rurleson and are promised
adjustment of certain parts of sched-
ule entered into with the company
which was not fulfilled by the post
master general.
Reports from locals in all sections
OF the country show Western Union
employees on the job with few ex-
ceptions, which are negligible"
To substant'ate his claims, Mr..
Wach displayed kilograms from asso-
citation officials in various districts
saving conditions were normal
"Our Detroit advices are that the
Postal men went out and at noon were
seeking lunch money from Western
upton employees" he said.
He said that not a single operator In
the Western Union Chicago office
struck, and explained that empty
chairs were merely for use when emer-
rency relay sets were in operation. To
this Kontnkamp asserted that ''the
vacant chairs were occupied yester-
day"
e. w. Collins, general superintend-
ent of the Postal Telegraph company,
in Chicago, admitted that large num-
her of their 800 operators had quit.
hut insisted that IL the agitators about
the building were driven away many
emploves would come TO work
Police protection was asked by the
Western Union here after numerous
street clashes of minor character.
Delivery service was hampered late
in the day when all Western Union
messenger boys at the main office.
with the exception OF four, Joined the
strike. 1t was charged that they had
been intim'd dated and messages taken
from them.
Messengers Walk Out.
Many of the Postal messengers here
also struck in SYMPATHY.
Mr.. Collins said he did not know
what the general situation was as 10
Postal strikers, but that the company
had not been seriously affected.
We expect quick Improvement"
he said
Speaking at a meeting of strikers to-
night. Konenkamp said the telegraph
ers would flight all the way to pre-
vert further discrimination against
union workers"
I'VE want the right to organize and
the right to bargain collectively
through legitimate trade union" he
said, with these principles estab-
lished, all other questions would be
quickly disposed of by some fair trib-
unal"
Later tonight. Mr.. Konenkamp said
his reports definitely showed more
than 5000 telegraphers out with the
indication that the number approx
mated 1s,200. BY tomorrow he said
he expected that rs per cent OF the.
Western Union forces would be out.
We're well satisfied" he said. 'but
we have realized only desperate
strike would get us anything"
AS to Postmaster General Burle-
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