The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-16
A Willy DEBS SCHEME
A. r.. L. PLANNING TO PARALYZE THE
COUNTRY's COMMERCE.
organizing Unions of Telegraph OPP
orators for the Purpose Of Assist
ing I'm n Great Struggle.

mas been at Work Tor months secretly organ
izing the telegraph operators of the whole
country into branches of the order. The
work has been carried on under the guise
Of forming beneficial organizations. Within
the past few days the Western Union Of
ficials. through a leak in the Pittsburg
branch. obtained information as to what
was going on, and prompt measures have
been taken to put a stop to it. 1t is the
first attempt of any Importance to organize
the telegraph operators since the memorable
strike of 1883. To prevent a. repetition of
those troublous times the telegraph compa-
MES are moving quickly and taking no
chances.
The news that they had been betrayed lid
not reach the operators until yesterday. 1t
came when the men in the Western Union
office In Pittsburg were asked in turn by
Superintendent j. L. Flynn If they were
members of the order. The men were forced
to admit they were. and received a strong
intimation that they had better get out of
1t at once.
The organization was the result of a care
fully prepared plan on the part of Eugene
". Debs, who headed the great railroad
strike, and other leaders of the American
Railway Union. Their purpose, it is stated.
is to organize and get control Of every
branch of business that could possibly be
of assistance in the event of a strike, or
any sort OF a capital and labor struggle on
a huge scale.
OF all the occupations, that of the tele-
for the purposes of the A. p. U. In the
event of a wholesale strike their services
would be beyond measure. They deal with
every branch of business, the railroads, etc.,
and assistance on their part would shut OFF
all communication that the A. r. u. did
not sanction. Even the movement Of troops
l. md orri0k infoF0nnFSa hptWpnn the state or
national authorities could be interfered with,
or at least their plans become known to the
SECRECY OBSERVED.
To put the scheme in operation organizers
were sent out from the headquarters in Chi
cago. Men in all the large cities were taken
into their confidence and used to pave the
way. The purpose was to first get the oper-
ators in the larger cities thoroughly organ
lied into branches Of the A. r.. u. Then
they would take in the smaller towns, and
eventually have all the operators of the
country welded into a solid and powerful
body, subject to the dictation Of the Amer
lean Railway Union. Secrecy was one of the
main things to be observed. Local men who
were we'll acquainted with the men of their
locality were selected in each city. They
could thus better avoid men whom, 1t was
thought, could not be trusted. To further
conceal the real object. the local branches
were to be organized ostensibly as beneficial
associations.
Care and caution were observed. yet the
work progressed rapidly. In the Western
cities the greatest success has been achieved.
Most OF them have organizations well adj
vanced, and in some they are complete.
In the Eastern cities, however, the task has
been harder. The, branches are scattering
and the operators have been slower to take
to IL. In addition, a commencement was not
made as soon as in the West.
burg over two months ago. John McClos-
key. a well-known telegraph operator, but
who has not followed that calling for some
time, was selected as the organizer for the
Pittsburg district. He has been hard at
work and met with great success. 2
The local branch, TO pull the wool over
the eyes of any one who might become
suspicious, was talked of among the men
as a beneficial association. This was in
beneficial features. The work of organizing
was carried on in a hall on Grant street.
or near there. Its exact whereabouts was
kept secret. Within a short time nearly
15d local operators were made full-fedged
members of the A. r. u. They comprised
nearly all the operators in the Western
Union office, the Postal Telegraph Com
pany. and many others in offices and mer-
camille establishments. The branch, in fact,
e ernerienc ea i o5e ms tnrs wip, ron' se all oil c sne
lions. the heads of the local offices. Mat
tiers were going on :s~wimmingly until some
one proved a traitor. Who he was the
operators don't know, but propose TO learn.
All their plans were given away.
BROUGHT ON III BIG FELLOWS.
j. ID. Flynn, the local superintendent of
the Western Union, received the tip. AS
quick as the telegram could bring them,
General Superintendent Tinker, of New
York. controlling the Eastern division OF
the Western Union, and General Super
intendent Clowry, OF Chicago, OF the West
ern division, came to Pittsburg. Long
consultations were held with Superintend-
ent Flynn. The operators saw the head
officials here, and thought something was
up, but did not know Ii 30 closely concerned
them. They found it out yesterday. SUI
perintendent Flynn went around among the
men and asked each one of them if he
was a member of the organization that
had been formed. From his manner. the
way he questioned them and the ones he
spoke to first, the men knew they had been
given away. They admitted their member
ship and received the plain statement that
they had better get out of 1t.
The way the advice was given indicated
choice of leaving the organization or a
dismissal. Many of the men said they would
leave the order. Whether they will do SO
remains TO be seen. Superintendent Flynn.
1t was learned. had a list of the names of
the Western Union men in the organization.
He was well posted on what movements
had been made and had plenty of informa-
ton that undoubtedly came from a member
Of the Pittsburg branch.
Steps are to be taken in other cities to-
ward breaking up the branches. Through
having no certain there as in
Pittsburg, they have as yet made no move
of any moment. How successful they will
be is a matter for the future. The men
have advance so far that it will be a
struggle before they give up, if they do 1t
at all.
The Postal Telegraph Company has as
yet made no move in the matter. Here
tofore the men have understood that the
company has had no objection to them
organizing. but what they will do now is
a conjecture.
The organization tina is now going on
principally includes the commercial opera
tors. They are TO have a separate division
OF their own after they are once established
and will elect their own head officers and
act In conjunction with the other divisions.
The railway operators. who are already
well organized. are in the division with
other railroad men. constituting the A. r.
L.. proper. Life and disability insurance and
other beneficial features are TO form a part
of their system.
The last great movement on the part Of
the telegraph operators was in 1883. They
were the Members of the X. of L. They
had been hastily gathered together and
were not in the best condition for a strike.
One day the words Grant is dead flashed
over the wires of the country. Every one
of the faithful on hearing this signal.
dropped his pen. deserted his key and
walked out. Business was paralyzed. COM
business. Special trains were put on the
railroads TO carry kilograms. IL was an
upheaval IN the business world. But in the
end the men lost. They fell back into line
and pounded the keys as of yore. Now
comes the first great move since then for an
organization. and the men say IL has come
TO stay. The end Is not yet.