The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-01-26
Powers Oppose
Telegraph Merger
Monopoly Proposal Is Hit BY
Telegraphers' Union
President

Chicago, lll.-The Commercial Tele-
graphers Union, affiliated with the
American Federation Of Labor, is def
nitely opposed to the proposed merger
Of the Western Union and Postal Tele-
graph companies recently suggested
by Postal official and a spokesman
for the G.. |. o. American Communica-
tions Association.
The position Of the G. IT. U. against
the merger scheme was set forth in
letter sent by international Presi-
dent Frank B. Powers, to Burton X.
Wheeler, chairman Of the Senate In
terstate Commerce. Committee, and to
Clarence r. Lea, chairman Of the
House Interstate and Foreign Com
merce Committee, Washington, D. c..
The text Of Mr. Powers letter fol-
lows:
Labor Spokesman" Unmasked
at has come to my attention that
the lobbyists are again endeavoring
to arrange for an early merger of the
telegraph companies. This time, they
have succeeded in lining up so-called
spokesmen of labor to support their
specious pleas for telegraph monop-
oily.
$50 bold was the attempt to pull
somebody's chestnuts out of the fire
that a joint request was made on the
Federal Communications Commission
by the trustee of Postal Telegraph
Gable Co. and AN officer of the
American Communications Associa-
ton to sponsor conference to study
recommendation for legislation lead
ing to a merger of the nations two
major telegraph companies
'This request was quickly and
properly turned down by the Federal
Communications Commission.
Hits Telegraph Monopoly
GAS the spokesman for several
thousand Western Union and Postal
Telegraph workers, the writer is just
as much opposed to merger of tele-
graph companies now as he has been
for the past five years. That position
has been maintained consistently, and
has been repeatedly upheld by ex-
pressions from the members of the
Commercial Telegraphers' Union.
"The notorious record of telegraph
companies in opposing laws and regu-
lations governing their business and
their workers cannot be taken as a
favorable indication that a telegraph
monopoly would properly service the
public or fairly treat their workers.
Creates Artificial Messenger Shortage
"At the present time, in order to
create an artificial shortage Of mess
engers, to impress the administrator
of the Wage-Hour law, the public is
being denied the right of prompt de-
livery of messages by messenger. The
attempt to force the public to accept
delivery of kilograms by telephone is
just one more example Of the short
sighted policy Of antagonizing the
public, and is driving telegraph busi-
ness to competitors.
"a telegraph monopoly, in my opin-
ion would bring about elimination of
branch Offices, relay Offices and other
facilities, and result in lessening of
service to the public.
"The position taken by the CONNER
cial Telegraphers' Union is that there
should not be telegraphic monopoly
, in the United States, regardless of the
arguments brought forth from time to
time by lobbyists for bankrupt man.
agement.
Merger Would Destroy Jobs
Telegraph workers of both Western
Union and Postal know that there is
not room enough for some $4,000 en-
ployes in event of telegraph merger
"We trust that the unnatural ALI
ance of so-called Spokesman for la
bor' will not have any bearing on the
judgment of the committee when con-
sidering any contemplated legislation
"We realize quite we'll the pre-
carious financial condition of Postal
But it is condition brought about by
incompetent management primarily
and to lesser degree by unfair and
, unjustifable competition of the tele-
phone company. To remedy these
wrongs is the function of the Federal
Communications Commission"