New-York tribune., 1919-06-12
Company Officials Assert
Only Small Per Cent of
! Keymen Left Posts at
Konenkamp's Call
$4,000 to $4,000
Out, Says Union
Two Big Companies Deny
Any Great Delay in the
Handling of Messages

The first day of the nationwide wire
strike, called by the Commercial
Telegraphers' Union, and effective gen.
orally at a. m. yesterday, brought no
noticeable break in telegraphic COM
munication.
The early hours OF the strike against
the Western Union Telegraph Com
psny, the Postal system and the Amer.
ican Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany drew mass Of conflicting state
ments from company officials and
union men.
Strike leaders maintained that be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 keymen had
quit their posts all over the United
States. Telegraph company officials
declared the strike was a failure and
would spend itself in few days.
Late last night in Chicago, s. j..
Konenkamp, president OF the union,
said reports showed definitely that
more an 1900 telegraphers were
already out. He added that complete
cures would probably approximate
$4,000 BY tomorrow, he stated, IS
Per cent Of the Western Union forces
would be out
Says Phone Men Will Quit
The strike leader declared the strik-
lng keymen would be augmented by
telephone workers, who, he said would
go on strike Monday. Dispatches from
al! over the country yesterday ind-
Gated that the telephone service had
not been touched to any great extent.
Newcomb Carlton, president of the
Western Union, who said that the
Asrike had proved only Slight irri-
tIon," insisted that his company's
:! stems were working normally with
rn|y IT'S OF it's 10000 employees ab-
.-.nt.
The Postal company, through Ed
Frd Reynolds, vice-president, ad-
'a.sted slight clogging of its wires,
due to the fact that between 20 and
~ per cent Of its 5000 operators had
joined the strikers. Mr.. Reynolds
added, however, that strikers were be-
ginning to come back last night, and
declared that messages were being
moved with only slight delay.
Railroad Mems Aid Denied
President Konenkamp asserted that
.he companies were being hampered
Oy the refusal of railroad telegraphers
% handle commercial business. OFF,
Gals denied this. Against Mr.. Konen-
lamps announcement that serious
Houble threatened in Canada, where
operators were refusing to handle
american business. was President
Cartons statement that Canada hae
oeen working normally since a. m
Yesterday, although he admitted there
sad been a slight detection there dur
ing the preceding two hours.
Messenger boys were reported tt
nave joined the strikers in Chicago
and Atlantic City. A few minor dis
'sroaaces were reported all over the
country, but no serious clash between
eolice and pickets took place. Strike
leaders ordered union men to adher,
70 peaceful picketing."
!nere was no interruption Of the
cable service furnished by the Mackay
company or the Western Union sys
en. The cable operators, who main.
uin their own international union
nuck 70 their keys.
otnke Of Brokers' Wire Men Asked
An important development of tn,
asy came here in New York, wher,
~ strikers, large percentage of
mem women, thronged into an as
ssSbly hall in the Pulitzer Building
snd passed resolutions calling OF
resident Konenkamp to call out i'm.
a1soiately the $500 telegraphers work
~ on brokerage wire systems in the
.nitsd States and Canada. Union Of
meals said there were TOO such kew.
men In New York City and that most
tnsm were members of the tcle.
uaphers' union.
.ssey Thomas deputy international
resident Of the union, In charge o,
sas Eastern District. including New
~, x and New England, declared that
..ny 1000 1eymen had quit their in.
s.lnmsnts in this city. More than 6t
~ cent OF them, he said, were West.
Union men.
ussp'ts this the only apparent indi.
sss'on Of the strike here was the pres.
80 ~ pickets. who paced the pave
sh's before the Offices Of the West.
W union and ths Postal system,
snne plscsrds urging workers not ia
strikers. s's NV VIZ" sns
Al sv.nsA oisie.s operated by both
Consfaxsd ~ pare siy