Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-11
NATIONAL WIRE STRIKE
ON; EFFECT DISPUTED
Posfs:lOMce Here Says
About 30 Per Cent
of Men Out.
Western Union P~t.
None Quit, Eur Workers
Declare 100 Idle.

Strike orders issued by S. ]. Konen-
kamp. president of the Commercial Te-
legraphers' Union, and affecting oper-
ators of the Western Union and Postal
Telegraph companies, went into effect at
s o'clock this morning in Washington
as well as practically all other parts of
the country.
How seriously the local offices of the
two companies are affected is not def
nitely known and will not be until
late this afternoon, when the night
keymen are due to report for duty.
Postal Office Here Affected.
Manager Foote of the Postal COM
pany stated today that about 80 per
cent of the operators in his Office had
Joined the strikers. He said that, while
the strike is interfering with business to
some extent, the local office is not Grip
pied. He stated that all of his COM
pany's Washington wires were wor- alg,
but that he would not know until
o'clock this afternoon how serious
the strikes effect will be.
Claims as to w. q. at Variance.
w. r. Williams. local manager of
the Western Union, issued state
ment this morning in which he de-
clared that not an operator in the en-
ploy of the company's local offices
haS gone on strike.
Officials of the telegraphers' union,
on the contrary. asserted that more
than 100 Western Union operators,
including Morse men and multiple x
operators, walked out at the desif;-
entire night force of operators would
join the strikers at o'clock this aft
ernoon. These officials also stated
that the business of the Postal COM
pany virtually is tied up.
Western Union Statement.
The statement issued this morning
by Manager Williams of the local
Western Union office says:
THE punitive attempt to embarrass
the continuity Of the telegraph service
by the so-called strike Of the Com
mercial Telegraphers' Union resulted
in fiat failure. The Western Union
Telegraph Company at Washington
did not lose a single man; every en-
ploye in the service reported for duty
promptly this morning. The business
bo'h outgoing and incoming. is NOV
ing absolutely without delay. -
This most commendable demon.
stration of loyalty on the part Of the
employees of the Western Union Tele.
graph Company fully justifies the
statement that their loyalty Is not q
mere occurrence, but Western Union
tradition, proving conclusively what
we have commended all along-that the
rif TOT ic
tirely on the outside and not on the
inside. Our employees are well paid;
working conditions are ideal, and
their environment is everything that
human ingenuity can make it. The
same condition obtains in our service
throughout the United States"
Says Most of W. q. Men Out.
Frank H. Mcdowell of the executive
committee of the Commercial Teleg-
raphers' Union stated today that APP
proximately 80 per cent Of the Morse
and multiplex operators in the local
Western Union Office Joined the
strikers at the appointed hour this
morning.
President Mcdonald of the local
keymen's union said today that TWEEN
ty-three operators working in the
local Western Union office were ad-
10 mcHUcTSblp Tic uIiOLl
last night and went on strike this
morning. He also said that a number
of man and woman operators in the
employ Of both companies, who are
not union members, declared today
they would join the strikers.
Mr. Mcdowell asserted that more
than $50 Western Union Morse opera
tors and repair men out of the local
Offices night force either were on
strike or would refuse to report for
work at 5 o'clock this afternoon. He
declared that the local Western Union
office will not have a sufficient force
tonight to operate a hundredth part
of the regular service.
Strikers Hold Meeting.
At a mass meeting of striking key
men at o'clock this afternoon in the
Perpetual building, 18th and E streets,
reports of progress were made, and
arrangements were perfected for OPEN
ing a downtown headquarters.
Officials and members of the teleg-
raphers' union asserted today that
Clyde Smith, seventeen years old an
operator at the Capitol, was called to
the Office of the local manager yester-
dav and asked IF he intended IN 90