The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-03
CHERRY ASKS
Continued From Page One)

Governor Cherry was using ms
Influence of Office in seeking to
get the parties concerned together.
He did this with success once be-
fore in a labor-management dls-
pute with the Erwin Cotton Mills.
He admitted that he had talked
with other members Of the South
ern Governors conference, and re-
ported that several expressed will
lingness to aid in ending the strike.
but added, None has offered. me
any suggestion up to this time.
The Governor reported that Gle
mont and Lee accepted his letter
without comment" He said that
he understood that Lee was to
leave here tonight for Atlanta, Ga,
where he intends to confer with
union officials.
Lee, the governor said, did say
the notice was "a little short IN
time" but the governor said Lee
promised that he would do the
best he could.
Lee, prior to leaving here to-
night, said that he told the COVER
nor that the Monday deadline Of
fered shot notice TO action. Lee
said the governor told him that
Monday was a tentative date. y
and the deadline could "fluctuate
couple OF days.
Text Of the governors letter:
ITO the officers of the Southern
Bell Telephone company and the
officers of the Southern Fedora
ton of Telephone workers.
Gentlemen:
The telephone strike in the nine
southern states is nearly a month
old. It seems to me that enough
time has elapsed for both sides
Of the controversy to have
thoroughly discussed the issues in
volved, and reached a settlement.
In the meantime, the general pub
lie has patiently awaited the re-
newal of normal telephone service.
II do not wish to take any ac-
ton which will prejudice the rights
OF either party, but I feel that it
is my duty in response to numer-
Gus calls for assistance to advise
that, if the strike is not settled by
Monday morning, May 5th, l shall
insist on normal service being
resumed first by the present en-
ployees, but if they fail to return
to work, then the telephone COM
|pany will be requested to employ
additional operators.
Cordially yours,
"(SigneO R. Gregg Cherry"
Governor Cherry said that his
office, in seeking to cooperate, had
limited its outgoing long-distance
telephone calls to a minimum He
SAID that he had experienced no
difficulty in completing emergency
outgoing calls. His office force re-
ported that the volume of incoming
long-distance calls had been re-
duced materially"
In Charlotte, E. H. Wasson,
Carolinas district manager for
Southern Bell, said any comment
must come from the Atlanta head
quarters.
Henry Mayer, union attorney
in the strike at Washington last
night issued statement saving
that the AT & rs proposal would
Nwiden the wage differential be-
tween the North and South, which
is now as much as $40 a week for
some phone workers."
Mayer also criticized what he
described as a statement by Gov
ernor Gregg Cherry of North
Carolina that "if the strike is not
settled by Monday ne will make
a demand on the company to get
operators from outside the union"
II consider the governors state
ment decidedly prejudicial to the
interests of 10000 Southern tele-
phone workers." said Mayer. He
continued:
"The governor also said this
strike would have been settled
long ago if handled on regional
basis. It's amazing to me for q
Southern governor to recomm end
prblicly that the hateful wage diff
ferentiais between the North and
South should be widened. His
statement of handling the wage
problem on regional basis would
have just that effect"