The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-18
The Striking Operators Give 1t Up.


New York, Aug. 1.-THE statement is
made on the best authority that Master
Workman Campbell, of the Brotherhood of
Telegraphers, to-day informed the members
of the organization to look out for them
selves and make as good terms with the West
ern Union Telegraph Company as they could
secure. Each man must look out for him
self. The female operators came in a body
thirty in all. Twelve were accepted and
filled. Forty-ive male operators were ac-
cepted out of sixty-two who applied. The
order to assemblies in other cities does not
appear to have reached them until this even
iHg. 1t is learned from Pittsburg, Boston
and Chicago that the operators are coming
back on the run.
The Evening Post says: "There was a
good deal of popular sympathy at
the beginning with the strikers as an OPP
pressed class, but it rapidly subsided
when it was discovered that the strikers
were, as one of their spokesmen described
them before the committee mostly young,
unmarried men, living in comfortable board.
ing-houses." The woes of young unmarried
men who persist in sticking to a sedentary
occupation in which they say they are insuf-
ficiently paid, do not touch the American
very IOpNldT sympathy
for the underpaid is reserved for men with
families in callngs laboriously acquired
through long training and which cannot be
readily changed, Teegraphng does not
belong to this class. The truth is, the bust
ness of telegraphing properly belongs to
women, and any sympathy the public has to
spare in the matter is due to the women
whom these young fellows keep out of it, or
the women now in it, whose wages their COM
petition keeps down."
At the meeting of the assembly of the
Brotherhood of Telegraphers to-day there
were some expressions of dissatisfaction at
any further continuance of the struggle, and
there was also some manifestations of dis
approval with the management of the strike.
Disruption seemed imminent yet the ma
jority still determined to abide by their
obligation when becoming members of the
Brotherhood. The order of Master Work
man Campbell was about this time issued
declaring the strike ended and authorizing
the members to resume work.
1t was then decided by those
present that the young women
engaged in the strike be given first opportu-
nifty to apply for reinstatement before Sat-
urday. The women Immediately came troop
ing down town to the main office of the
Western Union Telegraph Company and
tripped lightly into the elevators to be taken
to the rooms of Superintendent Humstone.
Some masculines had anticipated them
These had taken the rapid elevated railroads,
and meeting members of the fraternity ip-
formed them of the break" These did not
hesitate upon the order of their going. but
went at once for the office of Mr.. Humstone,
hence anticipating the girls. The fourth
floor was quickly taken possession
of and held firmly until Mr..
Humstone, late in the evening
announced that he could not receive more
tonight, but would be entirely free to give
further audience tomorrow. Each person.
as preliminary Of unemployment, signs
paper agreeing to abandon the present
Brotherhood of Telegraphers and not be-
come member OF any similar brotherhood
while in the employ Of the Western Union
company.
A leader of the strikers says: eve have
made a good fight, but have been beaten
because the force of the enemy was stronger
than ours, and because the allies who
promised to aid us failed to do so.
The executive committee of the Brother