Evening star., 1898-08-26
OF TELEGRAPHERS
Lieut. Pierson Gives His Version Of the
Controversy.
Explains the Necessity for Organize
ing the Bureau and Says His Ac-
ton Was Approved.

office OF the War Department, with the
result that several of the operators have
resigned. Those who resigned are Chief
Operator L. NJ. Smith, Assistant Chief
Operator Samuel c. Wheeler, Preston B..
Duff, NJ. H. Weber Robert Burns, W. A.
Cole G. NJ. Dorsey and A. S. Groves. They
did not consider that they were properly
treated by --.eut. Charles o. Pierson of the
signal Office, who is in charge of the office.
One of the operators made a statement q
their grievances, which has been pub
lished. 1t was, in part that they were
promised promotion, extra pay for over
time and given to understand that they
would be taken care of when the war was
over. "Of course, we have received neither.
but our chief grievance is against the chief
of the corps, Lieut.. PierSon.
The men were supposed to work the
regulation hours, as other government en-
ployes; but each day, especially during the
rush, every man worked several hours
overtime every day, but no extra COM
pensation was allowed, in spite of Lieut..
Persons promise that such would be the
case, and this is another of the. chief rea-
sons why the men have all resigned. Had
we been working for any of the CONNER
cial companies We would have been PAID
IA cents an hour.
The Other Side.
The other side of the case is contained In
a statement made to Star reporter by
Lieut.. Pierson, with the approval of Act
ing Secretary Meiklejohn.
THE facts are simply these: In the or
ganizatfon of the force of the telegraph
office of the War Department at the COM
mencement of the war new conditions con-
fronted the department. Through the fore
sight of Assistant Secretary MelkleJohn an
equipment had already been established,
but the force had to be provided AT first
emDOVed
business increased the force was also in
creased. Within a few days schedule of
hours was made, giving to the operators
employed on the day force nine hours la
Dor. while those at night worked seven and
a half hours
THE men were first employed with one or
two exceptions, at 81 600 per annum. Not
considering this sufficient compensation for
the labor performed, upon my presenta-
ton of the facts to Assistant Secretary
Meiklejohn, he agreed to an increase to
81 200 a year with the distinct understand
ing that in lieu of this increase there was
to be no further discussion as to the hours
of employment. Later on there was an
other outbreak, the claim being made that
under the law the government had no right
to make the hours of employment longer
than eight hours
Again 1 appealed to the assistant secre-
tary. and he consented to the employment
of extra operators, which enabled me to
place them an eight-hour schedule for
the day, with the same hours at night, lie,
seven and a half. Later on another protest
was made against Sunday work, and the
fact that the hours of employment were
more than those called for from the aver
age government clerk, and so it went,
grievance after grievance, until the matter
reached a crisis, which resulted in the
resignation of S. c. Wheeler, w. R. Cole
and p. B. Duff, operators.
Promise of Promotion.
Referring to the promise of promotion,
extra pay for overtime, etc, 1t is to be said
that when these gentlemen entered the
employment of the government stated to
them that If they remained during this
crisis. were faithful in the performance OF
their duties that | would do my best to
see that they received consideration at the
hands of the government and upon pre-
senting this matter to the assistant secre-
tary of war he informed me that while he
could give no assurances, he would promise
that all meritorious cases should receive
consideration.
In the matter of pay. it is to be stated
that the $500 per annum more than COM
pensated them for all the extra hours IN
yolVed N working every other Sunday,
holidays, etc. for while it is true they were
allowed extra with the other telegraph
CT mpanies beyond the regular hours Of en-
pioyment, it is also true that their COM
pensation with these companies was at a
salary of $500 pes anLrm.
With reference to the leak to which
tney REFER the cnafse IS made today that
cne of the number did disclose the con-
tents of an important telegram but the
official reporting the matter to me- not de-
string to deprive the individual of employ
ment, and thinking it may have been due
to slight indiScretion and that a warning
would be Suf1clent to prevent a repetition
desired that no further action be taken and
the matter was dropped, and it is to be
said that from that time no further leaks
were reported, the party having taken
warning.
In regard to the charge that men were
dropped without days notice, it is to be
said that at the time Of the suspension of
hosukties two of the members Of the force
who had come in but recently were fur
loughed. Since that time there has been
but one dismissal.
in the matter of Samuel C. Wheeler the
least said the better. His grievance came
from the fact that the day prior to his
resignation he had been reduced from the
pc stion of assistant chief operator to an
operator at the desk. This reduction in
rank, for 1t is TO he said it carries with
it extra compensation, was brought
about through the gross abuse on his part
of the brief authority with which he had
been clothed.
In conclusion it is to be stated that the
name of MIR. l.. NJ. Smith, chief operator
was Lsed without his authority.
so far as the personal question is con-
cerned, that does Lot figure with me- 1t
was simply matter of business"
TESTING UNION LABOR LAW.