The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-01-03

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quarters staff of the Brotherhood of
hailWay Clerks. "They have learned
'he oi1ference between public and
private operation, in wages and con-
ai0ions for themselves, and thew
know that the only assurance of per-
ihanent public operation is public
ownership"
The OPERATION OF THE WIRES
AS to the wires, Burleson has them
1or the present, and he claims that
he wants the government to buy and
operate them as a permanent addi-
tlon to the postal service. But Bur-
Lesson is to be taken with a few reser-
vatlons. His refusal to deal with The
unions OF postal employees, and his
feudal attitude toward the right of
the postal workers to a decent stand
ard of living, have been a national
scandal for years Now he has taken
TO his bosom as head of all the tele-
graphs and cables Newcomb Garlic
ton, president of the Western Union
Telegraph company, the man who dis
missed 700 telegraphers last summer
because they joined union, and who
defied not merely the war labor
board but the president of the United
States when the government attemps-
| pd RI
Mackay, head of he Postal Telegraph,
refused the job. Possibly, Burlesor.
is grateful to Carleton for having
raised the. issue which gave the gov
eminent its excuse for taking over
the wires, but it is more likely that
Carleton has been put in charge CT
all the telegraph service of the nation
because of the fact that he is as Bit
ter against trade unions as is Burle-
son himself.
EIGHT PER CENT ON WATER
A curious story is told by Mac
kay's friends concerning this deal be-
tween Burleson and the Western
Union. It is said that where as the
Western Union, hopelessly saturated
with water, was given a generous
per cent guaranty, based on their out
standing capitalization, which was
! much better than it had been earning,
the Postal Telegraph stockholders
were given guaranteed income has
ed on a physical valuation Of the
property. The Postal company Is
owned by the Mackay family and g
/ few associates, and its stock has new
er been sold on the market, hence its
capitalization have been big. It has
! been paying about 100000 a year
and it is now cut by Burleson Il
about $1,000,000 year. Macka5
claims that his company's income j
being confscated by Burleson ant
turned over to the holders of the wat
cred stock of Theodore Wallis ars
Cartoons companies-the Western
Union and its subsidiaries.
Burleson denies that he has beer
, unfair to the Postal Telegraph con
cern. but it is told that Doctor Fri
/ day. his statistician, reported unfav
orably on the plan which was adopt
ed. In any event, the public will pa.
less tribute to the Vail and Carleton
families, for the upkeep of footn1el
| and French maids this winter.
! John L. Kingsbury, vice presiden
! Of the Western Union, is close to tn
/, Burleson bosom alse. He was eve
!. permitted to sit in the conference q
E which the Postal Telegraph rate
:. compensation was fxed, althoug
e none Of the Postal crowd was permit
a ted to witness the bargain for pay
: ment to the Western Union. Nen
: day First Assistant Postmaster Ger
9 eraI Koons was entertained by King
e bury at country club, and late
o | Rooms was escorted around the cou1
i t1y in. the private railroad car OF til
: Western Union company officials.
t WHERE is LEWIS?
All this while, Theodore n. Val
Il head of the American Telephone
e Telegraph company, who lost SOM
n thing near s12,000,000 in his a
:, tempt to evade the antitrust law ar
e merge his company with the Westei
i Union. is Burleson's chief adviser G
+ all telephone matters.
5 A labor paper on the Pacific Goa
Il recently printed an editorial calllr
Re attention to the Burleson friendsh
= for the wire trust heads, and asks
$ aWhere is David J. Lewis 9 Da'
10 Lewis was supposed to be IN chars
- IF the wires when they came una
Or the control of the government.
was appointed to operate them. SIN
T. that time he has been lost to sight a
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