Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-06-12
Konenkamp Calculates That
$4,000 Workers Leave
Their Jobs.
w u. ASSOCIATION
ISN'T CONCERNED
Vice President Of Employees Organ
iZatiOn Declares Operators
Have Right 10 Bargain
Collectively.

Chicago, June 11.-Union leaders
declared tonight that the first days
response to the call for a nationwide
strike of commercial telegraph opera
tors gave promise that the tie-up
would be complete in three days, de-
spite claims of company officials that
the strike has failed.
Reports received by the Associated
Press from towns in various sections
of the country indicates that CONNER
cial telegraph business was not SER
iously interrupted in most instances.
A statement by President New
comb Carlton of the Western Union,
that only about 166 persons, 12l OF
them operators, answered the strike
call, brought from s. J. Konenkamp,
international president fthe Com
mercial Photographers Union Of Amer
lea, remark that more than that
that number of Western Union en-
ployes in Chicago alone had joined
the strike by noon today.
Phone Workers Join Strikes.
reports up to late today point to
90 percent response in the Postal
Telegraph company service, and a
70 percent response from Western
Union employees" said Mr.. Konen-
kamp. in statement to the Associa-
ted Press tonight. "The east has
shown up surprisingly well, and in
the southeast alone, the number of
strikers already exceeds 5000. Tele-
phone workers have added to the
strikers already exceeds 5000 Tele-
phone workers have added to the
strikers numbers in Philadelphia. New
Orleans, Columbia, S. c., and Bruns-
wick. Ga.
"When the electrical workers 90 on
a nationwide strike Monday addi-
tional telephone workers also will 20
ont. Railroad telegraphers in all parts
of the country are refusing CONNER
cial business and trouble anew is i'm
pending. because of refusal Of Cana
dian telegraphers to handle Ameri-
can business"
Says $4,000 Men Out.
Later tonight. Mr.. Konenkamp said
his report definiately showed more
than 5000 telegrapers out, with in
dications that the number approxi-
mated $4,000. BY tomorrow. he said,
he expected that rs percent Of the
| Western Union forces would be ont.
"We're we'll satisfied" he said.
"but we have realized only desner-
ate strike would get us anytime"
| AS to Postmaster General Burle-
sons statement that he could not 20
/ beyond the rulings of the war labor
board, Mr.. Konenkamp said:
G1f Nv Rur1ocOn bod Looy, ,,vs11:,. :.
to abide bv the. decisions of the war
labor board. there would have been
no trouble: It comes with poor grace
from him now to try to hide behind
the board"
Head of w. U. Men Satisfied.
In statement declaring only q
! few Western Union operators had
quit. Edward F. Wach. deputy vice
president of the association of Wes-
tern Union employees. said the 10000
! members Of that organization were
not concerned with the C. T. u. A..
demands. Sixty five percent of ali
Western Union employees are repres-
| ented in the association he said.
"The association has an agreement
with the Western Union whereby Il
IS recognized and is permitted to bar
gain collectively ! for wages and
hours" he said. eve obtained a five
and ten percent increase under Post.
master-Ceneral Burleson and are
promised adjustment of certain parts
OF schedule entered into with tht
I. Continued on Page 81