Evening star., 1919-04-18
OFFICIALS DISCUSS
TELEPHONE STRIKE
Boston Mayor Sees Post.
master General BurIeson
and Secretary TumuIty.
WORKERS HERE ORGANIZE

"OnNcnS 0EnG OnOHNIGE
Mayor Peters Of Boston discussed
the New England telephone strike sit
uation for nearly an hour today with
Postmaster General Burleson. then
retary Tumulty.
1t was expected that Mr.. Burleson
would communicate with officials at
Boston while Mr.. Peters was at the
Executive Mansion and that the sec
ond conference might result in some
working basis on which the two sides
of the strikes could get together to
enect a settlement.
Mr.. Peters said he had presented
the schedule of demands of the work.
ers to the Postmaster General and
several suggestions from the stand
point of the public. He declared the
Postmaster General was impressed
with the gravity of the situation.
The situation certainly does not
look any worse" he said.
Sees Nation-W Wide Strike.
John ]. Purcell, Washington repre-
sentative of the International Broth
erhood of Electrical Workers said a
nationwide telephone strike has been
set for May IL. He says that a strike
vote was taken and that a referendum
vote is now being taken on whether
each of the more than 125, 900 union
lied workers will contribute IS each
to conduct the strike. He said that 1t
Is expected that more than a half
million dollars will be raised on the
first call.
Employees in Washington have been
n tlHy For ho ha
points out, and the officials have no
idea as to their strength. He criti-
cfseS severely the attitude of the Post
master General. claiming that he will
cause a paralyzing strike all over the
country If he does not promptly
5ustment board for employees griev-
ances.
Officials View.
Postmaster General Burleson and
his advisors thought that in forward
ingsto General Manager Driver of the
New England Telephone and Tele-
graph Company yesterday the de-
nands of the striking operators with
instructions to hear the employees.
either individually or collectively,
upon receiving assurances that they
would return to work Immediately. a
asis Tor agreement had been found
Following the Postmaster Generals
announcement. Secretary Tumulty,
who. on Wednesday. sent a telegram
to Miss Julia s. OConnor, president
OF the operators union. requesting
that the union submit its demands to
the general manager. repeated his re-
Guest in another telegram to Miss
CConnor. The operators were as
sured by Secretary Tumulty that If
they followed the suggestion made by
MI Bur1eson their grievances would
be heard at once and decision reach
ed without any undue delay" Post
master General Burleson had an
nounced that action would be taken
by the wire board on the general man
ayers recommendations on or before
May 10.
Confidenoe was expressed by several
omcals that II the operators agreed
to submit their case and return to
work, the entire matter would be ad-
1usted with satisfaction to the en-
ployes and to the public.
MI. Burleson's Statement.
Ihe Postmaster General gave out
the following statement, and wired
Mr.. Driver to proceed I'm accordance
with it: ..
1t 10 preposterous that the tele-
phone service in New England should
be tied up as 1t is. and unthinkable
that the great business interests of
that section should continue to he
strangled by continuance of this con-
dit1en. The telephone operatives, for
reasons which are inexplicable to me.
have refused to take steps to put the
machinery in motion through which
this situation may be relieved The
general manager Of the New England
companies. MIR. Driver, cannot act
without something in the way of an
application for a readjustment of the
wage scale before him. Thus matters
are brought to q deadlock
have concluded to act for these
telephone girls myself and Rave
placed before Mr.. Driver their apnli-
cation Tor wage adjustment with in
structions that he is to notify the
employees at once that every oppor.
tunity Tor full hearing and discus
sion OF same on its merits will be
accorded either to the individual em-
pioyes or to them collectively, SO that
they may be given the full benaAt of
all methods Of bargaining with as-
suranoe that action will be taken by
the wire control board on Mr~Drfyers
Recommendation on or before Nav 10
next.
Il have instructed Mr.. Driver tn
act at once upon receiving assurances
that the striking employees will inn
: 1nediate1y return to work in order
that the distress to the public and
injury to business interests NAV he
promptly brought to an end