The sun., 1919-03-23
MISS PERKINS AIDS
MESSENGER BOYS
The Industrial Commissioner
Brings About Conference Of
Strikers and w. Z.
HER FIRST PUBLIC CASE
New zoning System Said to Be
One of the Chief Grievances
as Pay Is Cut.

Miss Frances Perkins, State Industrial
Commissioner, had her first public ease
yesterday as head OF the mediation divi-
sion, delving into the strike OF western
Union messengers, 1000 of whom are
said to be out. Miss Perkins invited the
strike committee to her headquarters at
230 Fifth avenue and was entirely sym
pathetic with their cause. When she had
heard the full story she sent John Bealin
Of the State Industrial Department with
the strike committee TO see Daniel Skel-
ton of the American District Telegraph
Company. and a hearing was arranged
for tomorrow.
What Miss Perkins learned was that
messengers from IL to 60 years old are
being paid In many cases $40 week.
that they have only one day Off In four
teen and that they are not paid for un-
delivered kilograms. The strike commit
toe told her also that the company re-
Gently had adopted a new coming system
which cut their former fiat rate OF w
cents a message to cents for the 1rtt
message and q cents for succeeding
messages
The Western Union company admitted
that the messenger service has been
diminished by the strike and II was said
that customers, especially those In the
financial district, have been asked TO
have them delivered to the company
OFFICES. 1t was reported that in order
to prevent violence the messengers VIVID
have been hired to take the places OF the
strikers will not be allowed to wear the
regulation uniforms.
Considerab able complaint was made by
I. NJ. Sackin. counsel for the union. over
the mishandling which some OF the
strikers received at the hands Of police
Ill. mi
that Jacob Gold OF 100 Suffolk street
had been beaten by a policeman at
Broadway and Forty-first street while he
was picket.ng q Western Union office and
that a surgeon found he had received a
fractured rib and n scalp wound. There
were no encounters between the strikers
and the new messengers.
The demands of the messengers as
presented to Miss Perkins were for
recognition OF grievance committee, an
Increase of one-half cent a message, a
ten hour day, abandonment of the zone
system and a rate of 20 cents an hour
for the delivery of parcels instead OF
Is cents now paid. 1t was represented
that the messengers have lost a profit
able source OF income by the system OF
mailing night letters.
Miss Perkins expressed surprise at the
statements of the strikers that the COM
pany had done practically nothing to-
ward the education and schooling of the
boys or improving their condition. Only
recently. 1t was said, have they been in
vited to attend the school Of telegra-
piers She was also impressed by the
age Of some OF the messengers and the
wage they receive.
Mr.. Bealing. with the messengers
committee, reached the main ONCE OF the
company at 4 80 p. NJ. and went into
consultation with Mr.. Shelton. The lat.
ter refused to admit the strikers at
torney to the conference, and after q
telephone message to Miss Perkins this
was agreed upon. Owing to the late
hour an adjournment was taken. Mis-.
Perkins said she was determined Il
bring about q fair settlement