The Wilmington Morning Star

ASHEVILLE FEELS PHONE WALKOUT

Mountain City Hardest Hit Of Any Place In North Carolina Monday

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Almost 5,000 workers connected with the Independent Southern Federation of Telephone workers struck in North Carolina today, picketing exchanges o the Bell Telephone company, and causing some hardship to the state's vast textile, furniture and other industries by tieing up almost all long distance calls and some two of every six local calls.

Southern Bell operates 202,000 telephones in the state, two-thirds of the total Switchboards were being manned by non-union supervisory personnel, handling calls only on an emergency basis, such as to hospitals, police and fire stations. Western Union reported a 25 per cent increase in telegrams over the state.

Approximately two-thirds of Bell's telephones in the state are dial operated and not affected for intra-city communication, E. H. Wasson, Carolinas manager. said today in Charlotte. However, the company, in radio spot announce ments and newspaper advertisements, was telling users to limit calls to emergencies.

Even independent companies, which operate some 100,000 telephones in the state, were affected on long distance calls, for they tie in with Bell's struck long lines system.

Asheville, with no dial telephones. was particularly hard hit.

Picketing was being conducted peacefully over the state. Sunny weather was on hand for the firs day of the strike in North Carolina, and hello girls" predominated on many lines. One placard said "The Voice With a Smile Will Be Gone For Awhile, She's Walking These Lines Till Mama Bell Signs.'