Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-06-26
POLICE DETAILS
AT EVERY BOSTON
Phone station
Strike Leaders Confident OF
Success - Company Heads
Decline To Reveal Plans, But
Hope To Maintain Service
Show OF Strength BY
Rival =. Unions In Boston
Meetings - Big Commercial
Houses. Prepare. For. EN-
Urgency

Boston. June o5.-On the eve of
the telephone operators strike
called for tomorrow morning in all
the New England states except Con-
necticut, union leaders and COM
pany officials busted themselves in
making final preparations. The
members of the telephone operators
department, International Brother
hood of Electrical Workers, who
voted the strike, held meetings OF
their locals in various towns and
cities. Representatives of the New
England Telephone and Telegraph
their plans but said they hoped to
be able to maintain service with lit
tie impairment.
There was a show Of strength to-
! night by the rival unions of opera
tors in the Boston metropolitan dis
trict. where about half of the more
than 1000 operators employed by
the company are stationed. The To-
cal recognized by the telephone op-
Temple to arrange a system OF pick
citing and perfect other arrange
ments for the strike. The old local
la, whose charter was revoked re-
Gently and whose officers have an
nounced that the members will re-
main on duty, held a meeting in
Ford Hall.
In order to be prepared for any
FULL compliment of policemen has
been ordered to be on hand at ev-
cry station in Boston tomorrow
morning. Superintendent Crowley
said that he would comply with the
request of the telephone company
that generous details" of police be
posted at each telephone exchange
in the city.
Miss Julia S. O'Connor, president
of the telephone operators depart
ment. has ordered its members to
refrain from any disturbance and
not to modest any property of the
telephone company. She has in
structcd operators who are not as
signed to picket duty to remain
away from the vicinity of the ex-
changes.
Notices were posted on the ex-
change bulletin boards throughout
New England today that "in recog-
milton of faithful service to the pub
lie under present circumstances" OPP
orators remaining at work during
the strike would receive a special
emergency payment of six dollars
n week in addition to regular wages
and overtime payments. Later in
the day General Manager George H.
Dresser announced that these notices
had been rescinded because 80
many of the operators have protest
ed against accepting any extra pay
mentS for maintaining the public
service"
we won't take anything extra, not
even a postage stamp" declared Miss
Annie Molloy. head of local IA She
added that the members of her To-
cal were willing to work overtime at
regular overtime rates. Miss NAL
10y made it plain that her organiza-
ton sympathized with the demands
for increased wages and shorter
working hours but that it's members
would not join the strike because
they had not been permitted to vote
on the matter.
Miss OConnor said she was having
AioAA w VII w plCNCAI VIC ODCIdlOtS
in some changes from beginning their
strike tonight but would make every
effort to hold all in line until tomor-
row morning. She said that the OPP
orators could not be expected to give
emergency service on police, hospital
and fire calls unless special arrange
ments were made by the company.
"If the company will equip emer-
gency boards" she, said, I'VE will man
them"
Manager Dresser said that he no.
titled operators who had signified
their intention of remaining at work
that If they were asked to go from
their home exchange to some other
exchange for duty during the strike
they might refuse without fear of los
ing their positions or standing with
the company.
Business houses which give an ex-
tensive service are making emergen-
cy plans. One large grocery firm an
nounced that in the event of a seri-
Gus interruption of telephone service
it's statesmen would call in person at
the homes of 10000 telephone custom
erS.