Bisbee daily review., 1919-06-12
WIRE STRIKE SHOWS LITTLE EFFECT
Continued from Page One) dle American business"

dle American business"
 Employees Assn Not Concerned
 In a statement declaring only few Western Union operators had quit, Ed ward F. Wach, deputy vice-president of the Association of Western Union Employes, said the 30,0O0 members of that organization were not concerned with the c. T. U. A. demands. Sixty five per cent of all Western Union em- ployes are represented in the associa- tion.
 "The association has an agreement with the Western Union whereby it is recognized and is permitted to bargain collectively for wages and hours" he said. we obtained and 10 per cent increase under Postmaster General Burleson and are promised adjustment of certain parts of schedule entered into with the company which was not fulfilled by the postmaster general.
 Reports from locals in all sections of the country show Western Union employees on the job with few excep- tions, which are negligible"
 Says No Strike in Chicago
 To substantiate his claims, MT. Wach displayed telegrams from asso- citation officials in various districts saying conditions were normal "Our Detroit advices are that the Postal men went out and some of them were seeking lunch money from association union employees" he said. He said that not a single operator in the Western Union Chicago office struck and ex- plained that empty chairs were mere ly for use when emergency relay sets were in operation. To this Konenkamp asserted that ''the vacant chairs were occupied yesterday"
 Messenger Boys intimidated, Charge
 E. w. Collins. general superinten- dent of the Postal Telegraph in Chi cago, admitted that large number of their 300 operators had quit, but insist de that if the agitators around the building were driven away, many em- ployes would come to work. Police protection was asked by the Western Union here after numerous street clashes of minor character. Delivery service was hampered late in the day when all Western Union messenger boys at the main office, with the ex- ception of four, joined the strike. It. was charged that they had been intimi- dated and messages taken from them.
 Many of the Postal messengers here also struck in sympathy.
 Mir. Collins said he did not know what the general situation was as to Postal strikers, but that the company had not been seriously affected. We, expect quick improvement he said.
 Speaking at meeting of strikers to- night, Konenkamp said the telegraph CTS would flight all the way to pre- vent further discrimination against un- ion workers"
 We want the right to organize and the right to bargain collectively through a legitimate trade union," he said. With these principles estab- lished, all other questions would be quickly disposed of by some fair tri-i bunal"
 Unions Say sooo Out
 Later tonight MT. Konenkamp said his reports definitely showed moro than 5000 telegraphers out with the indications that the number approxi- mated 1S,000. By tomorrow, he said he expected that 75 per cent of the Western Union forces would be out
 We're we'll satisfied" he said, but we have realized only a desperate strike would get us anything"
 As to Postmaster General Burleson's S statement that he could not go beyond the ruling of the war labor board, MT Konenkamp said:
 ''If MT. Burleson had been willing to be guided by 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"