Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-16

Boston. July 15.-Julia s. o.
Conner. president of the Telephone
Operators Department, International
Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers,
and leader Of the present strike Of
operators In New England, today de-
clared that the effect of the refusal
of the New England Telephone and
Telegraph Company to agree to the
arbitration Of strikers demands as
proposed made their offer to return to
work null and void and that from
now on the strikers would continue
their fight for seven hour day and
higher wages.
Miss OConnor made this statement
at the meeting of the Boston Central
Union. Later John ]. Kearney urged
that steps be taken to have the
Massachusetts legislature order an
investigation of the situation in
Massachusetts,. The suggestion was
approved and the executive board
OF the central body was instructed to
draw up bill to be submitted to the
convention of the Massachusetts
state branch, American Federation of
Labor, which opens in Worcester on
August 10, to be approved as a state
labor measure.
George E. Capell, press secretary of
Local 103, International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, announced
that the members of his union had
voted donation of one thousand dol
lars for the striking operators and the
next meeting of his union will be a
special notified meeting" for the
purpose of voting to assess each
member one dollar a week until the
strike is over. This union has more
than 1000 members.
Miss O'COnnor in explaining the
present situation in part said:
1--WE attended the conference of
mayors at Providence last Friday,
knowing that nothing which would
lead to settlement could come out
of 1t, but the mayors believed they
could do something and tried hard to
bring about settlement.
when we were asked our mini
mum terms of settlement, I gave
Them knowing all the time that they
would not be accepted by President
Jones OF the company and also
place the New England Telephone
and Telegraph Company on the de-
! fensive and give us a big advan-
tage.
! 1.-THE telephone situation in Rhode
Island has been in terrible shape for
number of years before this strike.
This was not the fault of the work.
ers, but undermined forces. and
inadequate equipment.
AT hearings in Providence on the
telephone situation. the operators
who are now on strike were eulogized
by the company management and all
kinds of promises made for the bet
tering of the service. Our offer for a
settlement was not in any way a
concession that we are defeated, but
was made with the hope of Bringing
relief to the telephone users. This
offer is now withdrawn and it is a
fight for the first principles for which
we went on strike"
The only serious disturbances since
the strike was called on June IS &C.
CURED in Springfield where rioting
has taken place on several occasions
when gangs of strike sympathizers
have clashed with the police and
numerous arrests have been made.
Service to the public has been lit
tie impaired except in several Rhode
Island centers and in Lawrence,
Springfield and Worcester. In
Greater Boston, where the faction of
the operators which has refused to
strike is the strongest, service was
little affected.
Meanwhile the striking operators
remain out and company officials
claim that their places are being
rapidly filled by new girls.