Evening star., 1952-04-14
". f. Striker Arrested
After Picket Line
Incident at Bethesda
City Exchange Picketing
Ends, but Long-Lines
Phone Workers Go Out
By Hermon F. Schoden

NI1C p1ChCG 1t1IC ok4COb 11CAV 1AANA
a walkout by 100 long lines work.
ers marked the Western Electric
strike today.
The local area events followed a
more encouraging development in
Ohio, where $4,000 phone workers
settled their strike for weekly pay
increases of 81 to 81.
That settlement has no direct
bearing on the w. E. deadlock,
and reports from New York in
dicated little progress in the Ma
tion-wide strike.
In Washington, w. E. strikers
withdrew pickets at telephone
More Leeol Actions Due in West Virginia
Telephone Strike. Poge B-l
Offices for the first time in eight
days. and concentrated IS pickets
at two Bethesda (Md0 offices.
At the Wisconsin avenue and
Walsh street Office, Montgomery
County police arrested a w. E.
installer, Charles Umholtz, 81, of
2100 Cherry drive, Falls Church.
Blocks Catering Truck.
He was charged with blocking
an alleyWay to prevent a cater
ing company truck from deliver
ing food to employees at the tele-
phone building. Police said he
took punch" at the truck
driver. Mr.. Umholtz posted $11.45
collateral.
Union officials said the truck
struck another picket, c.. c.
Samen, %, of 7704 District
Heights parkway, injuring his
knee.
The long lines walkout occurred
at the Chesapeake & Potomac
Telephone Co. building. 725 Thir-
teenth street NV, and two other
buildings.
Employed by American Tele-
phone & Telegraph Co. to main
tain television, telephone, radio
and telegraph circuits, the workers
were returning after a weeks OBJ
servance of picket lines.
"Herded Into Conference"
Bill Herman, president of Local
1850. CIO-C Communications Work.
ers OF America, said the employees
were 'herded" into a conference
and asked if they would work even
during union mass meetings and
further picketing.
When the employees refused,
they were told that work was
available for only "a persons to-
day, Mr.. Herman said. With that,
the entire force walked out. but
said they would return tomorrow.
R. c. CLANCY, District long lines
plant manager, said the confer
ence was held but deferred other
comment. T..
c. & P. telephone workers said
they also were questioned as to
their intentions of remaining on
the job but were permitted to
work after refusing to commit
themselves.
Around the country generally
picketing by w. E. strikers was
continuing. The union said it
would not picket in Ohio today,
but that if lines are set up later
telephone workers would be ex-
pected to respect them even
though their own strike is
SETTLED.
Second Settlement.
i The Ohio settlement was the
second in the patch-quilt of Bell
System strikes that began last
monday. 1t closely followed that
lof an agreement for $4,000 Michi-
gan telephone workers last week.
j CWA said it also won improved
working conditions in Ohio and
defeated a company proposal
which would in effect make
strikers liable to firing at the
Icompany's discretion.
i The wage raises amounted to an
leverage of lis cents per hour,
while the Michigan settlement
Iaveraged 1877 cents. Western Elec-
Itric employees have been holding
lout for % cents an hour and the
Icnmnanv nffarinn IL tn 16 cents