The Washington herald., 1907-09-21

New York. Sept. 2O-Belvidere Brooks.
superintendent Of the Eastern division Of
the Western Union Telegraph Company.
/ said to-day that the company would
not accept offers of mediation or arbitra-
ton in the telegraphers' strike from
whatsoever source. Speaking for the
company management he said that any
| possible or probable action by President
Roosevelt would not be commented upon
by any officers Of the company. Your
correspondent said to him: You know
that a report was printed that Daniel
Russell and Percy Thomas saw the Pres
ident at Oyster Bay on Wednesday, pre-
sumabIy to enlist his interference in the
strike"
Il must make Il clear that anything
regarding Mr.. Roosevelt or his intentions
is a subject that l cannot discuss" re-
piled Mr.. Brooks.
But this is a matter OF the right Of Mr.,
Roosevelt to interfere in the strike either
as a private citizen or as President Of
the United States. and in his capacity as
private citizen-"
81 cannot discuss that point at all"
replied Mr.. Brooks.
Assuming that an invitation should
come to the Western Union Company 10
send representatives, 10 see Mr.. Roosevelt
at Oyster Bay. what would the company
do then?" queried the reporter.
Declines to Discuss Roosevelt.
piled Mr.. Brooks, 'and do not want 70
cross any bridges before reaching them.
In fact, / simply want 70 avoid all refer
ence 10 anything Mr.. Roosevelt has done
is doing, or may be going to do. I sim
/ ply cannot comment on the actions. pro-
posed or reported, of the President OF
the United States"
But your company intends 10 handle
this strike al by itself. without reference
10 strikers, AIr. Small, or committees @f
asked the reporter.
THAT is true" said Mr. Brooks; "but
that statement should not be put close 10
anything that is said about NIr. Roose-
Welt"
That IS, in order that no Inferences
may be drawn"
Mr.. Brooks smiled. Then he added.
L cannot make Il too clear that we are
all through with this strike We will not
see Mr.. Small; We will not see any COM
mittees; we Will not deal with the strik-
eTs In any way. If the persons who have
left our employ now are anxious TO r.
/ turn. we VIII see them personally. can
| inform you that out Of 500 who left there
are 175 at least who never can return to
work FOR the Western Union. In the last
eight months we have had some very
disagreeable experiences. and now that ii
/ is all over we are glad to be able 20 go
ahead and organize our business on our
/ own lines.
VIII Permit No Interference.
1--WE are determined 10 run our busi-
ness for ourselves. and we cannot do that
/ If we permit the unions 10 do il for us:
It IS our business; we have built Il UP:
we are entitled to manage it. We have
found that union regulation IS impossible
in this business. It is no experiment
with us
The situation reduces itself 20 this.
We are going 20 handle our own affairs
in our own way and without help, as
sistance. or orders from others.
The conditions which ruled before the
strike never viii be repeated. The union
operators deliberately interfered with the
Company's business 20 further the inter
eSts Of the unions. and. Furthermore. they
made a personal matter Of abuse Of
other operators who were unwilling 10
join their union.
III the past we employed persons
solely upon the condition that they
should be competent operators. Now.
every man and woman who applies must
give a full account Of his or her past
conduct We have 10 know who they
are, and all those who took an active
part IN bringing about the strike and in
the conduct Of It, and whose actions be.
fore the strike were offensive. never
again will work for the company. They
will find it of no avail TO attempt TO get
work under assumed names"
As TO the matter Of the interview Of
the two telegraphers with Commissioner
NeiH about arbitration Mr.. Brooks
was asked.
I do not believe that # ever hap
pened,' he replied. "A report from a
news bureau to-day quotes Secretary
Straus as denying that Commissioner
Nell had any such interview. Secretary
Straus says that If there had been any
interview the Commissioner would have
told him before leaving for St Louis yes
terday Furthermore, this report quotes
Commissioner Neiu as saying before he
left for the West that there was nothing
new in the strike situation.
Men See Defeat
'I believe that the strikers are at the
end Of their string financially, and are
doing every last thing that they can 10
get some kind OF a settlement. They have
been sending out ali kinds Of bombast
and fantastic stories, and 1t IS to my