Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-29
MUST BE CRUSHED.
The Western Union Declares
Its Position
A CRUSADE AGAINST LABOR UNION

All the Telegraph Companies Alleged to
Have Combined to XIII the Organization
While It IL weak-The Mask Thrown
on at Last and the True Significance
Recent Dismissais Announced - The
brotherhood Must Go Isthe Cry.
CHICAGO. Oct. Membership In the
Brotherhood OF Telegraphers has at last
been given as the reason of the dismissal
Of about dozen employees of the West
ern Union Telegraph company in this
city. Not that the mere fact Of their con.
nection with the organization was sufTi-
Gent to induce the company to resort to
drastic measures. General Superintend
ent Clewry stated last night that men
who have joined the brotherhood have
rendered themselves obnoxious to the
company by abusing IL and saying harsh
things about the way the wages scale was
managed, when no real grievance existed.
Three men were dismissed from tie en-
ploy of the company yesterday for this
reason, and the plan adopted two weeks
ago will be carried out until the men
abandon their brotherhood pledges.
Combined for Prescription.
With this fiat, that has become gener-
ally known among the company's en-
ployes, comes another which reaches still
further. Col. Clowry had a conference
with Superintendent Parker, Of the Pos
tai Telegraph company, last Monday.
What the result Of that conference was
has not transpired, but it is significant
that several operators who had been dis
missed from the Western Union and had
since been employed by the Postal re-
eeived notice to quit work yesterday. A
party met yesterday at the offices OF the
Western Union The party consisted of
Col. Clowry; Vice President and General
Manager Baker, of the Postal Telegre oh
company; General Manager Tuttle. o. the
North American Telegraph compa.,y, and
Superintendent Tubbs, of the Western
Union.
The First BI ow Struck.
Though it was said that Mr.. Baker and
Mr. futile were only passing through
Chicago. it is known that some agree
ment was made concerning the suppress
sion of the new brotherhood. With the
dismissal from the Postal Of the man who
was the first to be discharged by the
Western Union a week ago last Satur-
day, came the first blow. An operator at
Armour & Co.'S was "firedn Yesterday for
his connection with the brotherhood, and
A. j. Morris, the man who led the great
strike of 1883, received his discharge Mon
day night.
How the Men Took It.
When the men learned OF his dismissal
they openly expressed their indignation
at the unjust treatment accorded him
The executive council met Yesterday aft
noon al he Sherman house, and the pos
sibility of strike was discussed with
great vehemence. That Morris should be
dismissed when he had merely entered his
name a. a member of the brotherhood was
considered All outrage on the rights Of an
American citizen. Some of the younger
members were eager to strike Immediate
ly, but this was discountenancei by the
leaders as little premature The treat
ment OF the men at ST. Paul came up for
discussion. and sympathy was expressed
with them.
Not Yet Ready for n Strike.
But the leaders of the brotherhood in
Chicago are not yet ready for extreme
measures In the Western Union the CD
orators who belonged to the brotherhood
were dismayed at the turn things were
taking. They talked it over yesterday.
The possibility Of favorable ending TO a
strike was fully discussed, but the opera
tors were not inclined to walk out, I'M
less they were goaded to it by the com
pany. The coalition between the various
telegraph companies will bring about one
of the two issues. 1t will precipitate a
strike or utterly suppress the brother
hood.
Some of Them Weakening.
Already, Col. Clowry states, several
brotherhood men who were dismissed
have come back to the company. There
is no desire on the part of the Western
Union to punish the men, but they are
required to renounce the brotherhood be-
fore they will be re-employed. This sew
eral have done and they have been placed
in their old positions The operators
think that in the present state of the or
ganization the game of freeze out"
would be detrimental to them The
brotherhood is too young to fight the cor
poration successfully The funds are in
sufficient to support an army of men out
of work
Want to Bfde Their Time.
For this reason, more than any other,
the leaders wish to avert a strike. 1t is
their intention to gain the CO operation of
the railway teiegraphers before proceed
ing to extreme measures Before that
time, however they may be forced into
strike, rs one of the brotherhood men said
yesterday. Though there was practically
no grievance against the Western Union
in regard to compensation and hours of
work. the determination to suppress the
organization might bring about a serious
result. The Western Union officials do
not fear any strike. The coalition formed
is OF such nature that they consider the