The Washington herald., 1919-04-20
TELEGRAPHERS' UNION
CONSIDERING STRIKE
TO ASSIST GIRLS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

Postmaster Generals promise to
deal fairly with telephone girls
forced to strike against Burleson
labor policies. The record of the
Postmaster General in treatment of
postal employees is such that you
should proceed carefully and eau
tiously in all negotiations with
him He has attempted to invade
every right of postal workers. He
has asked Congress to reduce COM
pensation and deny workers right
to organize effectively. He per-
sonally lObbied against wage in
creases- He brutally characterized
our agitation for increased COM
pensation as selfish attempt on
part of men already receiving
three times wage of soldiers in
trenches" In six years he has fail
cd to make one single legislative
recommendation for welfare of en-
ploy"s. but has consistently fought
every beneficial reform we have
sought He has defied War Labor
Board and refused to establish mo
chlnery for adjustment of employes'
grievances In behalf of telephone
girls now on strike YOU are iusti-
hed IN demanding something more
substantial than a BurIeson prom
ise of future fair treatment.
"tSigned) THOS. F. FIAHERTy
cIttary-Ireasurer, National Fed
Grafton of Postal Employees"
IN discussing the statement of the
= foStfnaster General that he had no
,,,tihidtioh ~ strike was impending.
Mr.. Flaherty said: "On March / Iqt9
the executive board of the Tntarna'
tlonal Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers. sent a lengthy telegram to
President Wilson advising him of tho
refusal OF the Postmaster General To
permit the managers of the telephone
systems. temporarily under govern
ment control. to renew wage agree
ments with employees and asking for n
modification of Burleson's policy.
Secretary Morrison of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. at the sug-
gestion of Secretary TumuIty, ad-
dressed a letter to President Wilson
under date of March 1 asking for a
hearing for representatives of or
Esnized employees under Mr.. Burle-
sons Jurisdiction in order that the Sc
riousness of the labor situation might
be made known to the President. In
this letter the President was advised
NA'ehN NAAC NOAAAPA1AiiAS dsdiiSl buTlc-
son labor policy were nationwide and
covered all groups of workers-the te-
legraphers, the postal employees, the
electricians and the telephone opera
tors. Efforts. the President was in
formed, on the part of Mr.. Gompers
and MIR. Morrison to settle these griev-
ances through negotiations with the
Postmaster General were fruitless.
This important letter from a re-
spOnsible labor official has not yet
been answered. 1t is preposterous
for the Postmaster General to claim
nc was taken unawares by the tele-
phone girls strike. He had ample
opportunity to adjust these griev-
ances in the early stages. He told
trade union officials who attempted
to counsel with him. There will be
no strike. Just leave it to me- II
was left to him and the country
sees the result"
President Wilson, responding to
the appeal to the governors OF
Massachusetts. Rhode Island and
New Hampshire to settle the tele-
phone employees strike in New Eng
land, has cabled the following to
Secretary Tumulty:
Tell them l appreciate the seri-
BUSINESS of the situation but that
am unable to act intelligently from
this distance"