The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-06-09
WILL STRIKE IF MEN
ARE NOT PUT BACK
Local Telegraph Operators Look
for q Fight With the West
ern Union


The trouble between the operators
and the Western Union Telegraph COM
pany in st. Paul, which had its origin
because of the discharge of seven Of
the Oldest men in point of service in
the employ of the company on Mon
day, has reached a point, it is stated,
where strike viii be ordered unless
the discharged men are taken back by
the company.
This was the condition OF affairs
last night, as stated by B. J. Louge,
secretary and treasurer of the local
branch of the Commercial Telegraphers'
union, which organization is said to
have been the cause of the trouble be-
tween the Western Union and its men.
The discharged men. and the mem
bers of the union in general, decline
to accept the company's explanation
that the men were dismissed because
of depression of business since it
has come, to their knowledge that new
operators, not members of the union
have been employed to fill the places
of the deposed union operators.
Secretary Louge said last night that
the union had positive information that
new operators had already been en-
ployed by the company, and the names
of seven operators, one a woman, are
given out by the union as the persons
who have taken the places Of the dis
charged men. The names of these new
operators are given as Edward Daven-
port, Nick Lewis, Mrs. Ada Clayton,
James Rannin, J. F. Steele and two
operators named Cooper and Murphy,
whose first names We're not in the pos
session of the union.
Contradict Western Union
Secretary Louge says the Western
Union has denied that any new oper-
atorS have been employed, but in the
face of this denial the union men say
they have positive knowledge that the
seven operators named have been en-
ployed in the St. Paul office.
Secretary Louge@SayS the union is
not surprised that new operators have
been employed, since there is no doubt
in the minds of the union men that
the discharge of the seven. operators
on Monday was not because of a de-
preston of business, but for no other
reason than to get rid of operators
who We're active in the affairs of the
union, an organization the Western
Union is said to have been antagoniStic
to since it's organization.
1t is charged that there is a general
movement all over the country to dis
place union leaders, and should a strike
be ordered in st. Paul, the operators
believe it will become a general strike,
involving the entire Western Union
system in the United States and Cam
ada.
President Long, of the Commercial
Telegraphers' union, in reply to a tele
gram sent to him Monday night in
forming him of the situation here, is
said to have wired the men to stand by
the union constitution and to keep him
advised as to the situation. He is now
in Eastern Canada, but is expected to
come to st. Paul in the very near fu-
ture unless the trouble here it salts
factorily adjusted.
Look for a FIGHT
The members Of the local union ex-
press the belief that there is little
chance for a settlement of the st. Paul
trouble, since the company is deter
mined to make a fight on the union,
and it is the opinion of the leaders that
there is nothing left for the men to do
but to fight it out to the end. The
telegraphers are now well organized,
and members of their union declare
they could put up fight that would tie
the Western Union completely up
There is little that is new in the
trouble tonight said Secretary Louge
last night. 1T is most probable that a
demand will be made upon the Western
Union for a reinstatement of the men
who were discharged, and if this is re-
fused, meeting will be called to con-
slider the advisability of ordering
strike. Should strike be ordered,
even here in st. Paul., it would tie up
the business of the company SO far as
st. Paul is concerned, and would cause
the company much inconvenience else
where. But a strike of the local opera
tors is not what the Western Union has
to fear. 1t is a general strike, which is
almost sure to follow, should strike be
called in st. Paul.
Even if the trouble should not be
settled for some time, it is stated that
the attitude of the Western Union will
be one of the most important matters
that will be discussed at the national
meeting of the telegraphers which is to
be held in ST. Paul next month.
nArT M An raTYTT rEnr