Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-12
UNION LEADER SAYS
MAJORITY OF WIRE
MEN LEAVING KEYS
Konenkamp Denies State
ment by President of
Western Union.
NINETY PER CENT OF POSTAL
WORKERS ARE CLAIMED IDLE
Complete Tie-Up of Lines Is
Predicted Within Next
Three Days.
STREET FIGHTS IN CHICAGO
Messenger Boys Join I'm Walkout
and Police Protection for Offices
Is Asked.
STREET FIGHTS IN CHICAGO
Messenger Boys Join in Walkout
and Police Protection for Offices
Is Asked.

BY Associated Press
'flCAtiO, June 1l.-Union leaders
declared tonight that the frst-day re-
Shonse to the call for a nation w lie
strike of commercial telegraph opera
iors gave promise that the tie-up
would he complete in three days. de-
spite claims of company officials that
the strike has failed.
Reports received by the Associated
fresS from many towns in various
sections of the country indicate that
commercial business was not seriously
interrupted in most districts -
statement by rresiden. Carlton.
OF the Western Union telegram co.'s.
psny. that only about i6s Sersons ini
OF ihem operators. answered the .strika
eau brought from S. j. Konenltan,n
,neernati1nal nnecria, pn president OF the Com
lca. remark that more tnan thp 4
numper or Western Union employees
IN ChicaEo alone had joined the strike
by noon today. ...'Et"sss
Statement by IIoncnk,n,na
Reports up to+iate today noint}S{o
a 20 per cent response in the Pnstai
Telegraph Company service and a IN
per per cent response from Western
statement TO the Associa ed ( Trassy
tonight; In the East il has shown 'Snsa .,sIs5
snIrnr'sinsH aInna IN we'll. and ln the southeast
IN nr
ceeds 5000. Telephone workers haze
ADDED TO the strikers number. in pIiII.
g. aaoeipm'ai anm !, New Orleans. Columbia. S.
ri ,rican anu . brunswick. Ga. When the eleG-
strike Monday additional teIenhnne
workers also Will go out Rniiron,l
srnpners trv ara rs fns In an parts Of the coun-
ana trouble anew is ,:.npendinr in
canada because of refusal or Canadian5
nass re,ssra pheFs TO handle American busi-
", IN statement declaring only few
Western Union operators had Quit Ed.
ward f. Wach, deputy vice esident.
employees said the 10000 members Of
mat organisation were not concerned
g.n;n, wtn the me Commercial Telegraphers
hvc per cent of all Western Union EN-
Pio%ecs are represented In the asso
citation, he said. IS
Promised RendJustment. 10
the asSociation has an agreement
W'tn the Western Union. whereby it
hours he said. We ob,aInsa ske ~ aha Z
a,l anu 10 per cent Increase under Post
promised adjustment of certain p1.Jts
OF schedule entered into with the
company, which was not fulfilled by
the Postmaster-General ,lSl',
Reports from locals in all sections
or the country show Western Union
cnn,,one empt,oSees on on the job with a few ex-
cept.onS. which are negligible" es
TO substantiate his claims Mr.. Wacb
displayed kilograms from association
oineials In various districts, saying
conditions were normal -
HE said not single operator in tEe
Gstern Union Chicago office strusk
ana explained that empty chairs were,
.,esreiE n.,S Tor use when emersency reisyi
sets were In operation. To this Konen-
Ramp asserted that the vacant chairs.
were occupied yesterday" -
T.. w. Collins, general super!ntend.
ent Of the Postal Telegraph Company
in Chicago. admitted that large
number OF their 300 operators had,
Ihlt, put insisted that If the "agitat6rs
nn"ut n,nmu @ ,ne nuiIdins We're driven away
many employees would come to work.
Seek Police Protection.
Police protection was asked by tbs
western Union here after numerous
street clashes of minor character.
,the.'Sery ,h service was hampered late In.
senger boys at the main ONCE, with
me exception OF four, joined the strike.
! was charged that they had been
them. - - W
Many OF the Postal messengers here
aiSo struck in sympathy
Mr. Collins said he did not know
Hhat the general situation was as. to
posial strikers, but that the company
had not been seriously affected. 1--WE
expect quick improvement" he said
tonight Mr.. Konenkamp said the tele
sraphers would fight all the way 10
prevent further. discrimination against
union workers" 70.
I'VE want the right to organize and
the right to bargain collectively
through a legitimate trade union" hs
said. with these principles estab-
lished. all other questions would be
quickly disposed Of by some fair
tribunal" -
Ask President Act.
message from Atlanta, Ga. to-
night announced that a cabiegram ask =
ing President Wilson to take stems 10
end the strike of commercial telegram
operators was sent tonight to the.
President In Paris by the Atlanta Fed
test against Postmaster General BUR-
leson's administrator of wires ae-9
cording TO a. +. Joyner. a member OF
the Commercial Telesraphers' Union,
of America, The meeting. he said, also
voted Endorsement of the strike
Quit Work In south Caroiina.
COLUMBIA. s. c., June 11.--QVsri
100 employees of the Southern Bill
Telephone Company. including opera
tors and linemen walked out thia
morning at 8 o'clock. The oftces %of,
the Postal Telegraph Company also.
were deserted by the union mployeS.2
included In the general strike cailse
GREENWOOD. s, C.. June ILL.,
Postal oaice hsre 8 clossd. fGs1