The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-18
Has Secretly Formed a Gigan-
tic Organization
Of Telegraph Operators Over
the Whole Country.
A. r. q. TAKES THEM IN
Secret Discovered By Western
Union Officials
At Pittsburg and Efforts to
Break 1t Up.

PITTsBURG, March 1S.-A gigantic
move. inaugurated by the American
Railway union, has been discovered
here. The A. R. U. has been at work for
months secretly organizing the telegraph
operators of the whole country into
branches of the order.
The work has been carried on under
the guise of forming beneficial organiza-
tions. Within the past few days the
Western Union officials, through a leak
in the Pittsburg branch, obtained in
formation 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 import
ance to organize the telegraph operators
since the memorable strike of 1888. To
prevent repetition of those troublous
times the telegraph companies are NOV
ing quickly and taking no chances.
The news that they had been betrayed
did not reach the operators until yester-
day. 1t came in when the men in Western
Union office in Pittsburg were asked in
turn by Superintendent j. d. Flynn, il
they were members of the order. The
men were forced to admit they were and
received strong intimation that they
had better get out of it at once.
Debs is at the Head.
ne OEPaulZdGlOu WAS lu0 E6Su1b Ol a
carefully prepared plan on the part of
Eugene V. Debs, who headed the great
railroad strike. and other members of the
American Railway union. Their pur-
pose, it is stated, is to organize and get
control of ever branch of business that
could possibly be of any assistance in
event of a strike or any sort of a capital
and labor struggle on huge scale.
OF all the occupations, that of the tel
egraph operator is one of the most valu-
able for the purposes of the A. r. .. In
the event of Wholesale strike their ser
vices would be beyond measure. They
deal with every branch of business, the
railroads, ETC., and assistance on their
part would shut off all commuuicat alton
| that the A. r U. did not sanction. Even
the movement of troops aud quick in
| tercourse between the state or national
authorities could be interfered with, or
at least their plans become known to the
A. r. U.
To put the scheme in operation organ
izers were sent out from the headquar-
ters in Chicago. Men in all the large
cities were taken into their confidence
and used to pave the way. The purpose
was to first get the operators in the larg-
est cities thoroughly organized into
branches of the A. r. U. Then they
would take in the smaller towns and
eventually have all the operators of the
country F6lQ6Q lntO d 6Ol1Q du0 pOWOE-
| full body, subject to the dictation of the
American Railway union.
Move Spread Like JyiIdfro.
Care and caution has been observed.
yet the work progressed rapidly In the
western cities the greatest success has
been achieved. Most of them have or
ganizations we'll advanced, and in some
they are complete.
J. D. Flynn, the local superintendent
of the Western Union here. received the
tip few days ago. He went around
among the men aud asked each one of
them if he was a member of the organi
zation 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 mem bership and received
the plain statement that they had better
| get out of it.
The way the advice was given indicat-
ed plainly that they were receiving their
choice of leaving the organization or
| dismissal. Many of the men said they
would loave the order. Whether they
will do so remains to be seen.