The Washington herald., 1907-08-24
BID STRIKERS STAND
LabOrLeaders Address Teleg-
raphers' Mass Meeting.
GREAT ENTHUSIASM SHOWN
Operators Manifest Approval of
Government Supervision of TeIe-
graph-Rev. Or. Kent's References
to Initiative and Referendum and
Suffrage Applauded 10 Echo.

Enthusiasm ran high last night at the
mass meeting of the striking telegra-
pliers in Columbia Theater when they
were addressed by several local labor
leaders and by Rev DR.. Kent.
The speakers. without exception, were
vociferously applauded. Many women
were present at the meeting, including
those who are members OF the telegra-
piers union and are out on strike.
The audience, through its manifest ap-
proval. was strongly in favor Of govern
ment regulation or supervision Of the
telegraph and for the initiative and ref
erendum as expounded by DR., Kent.
Every allusion to suffrage was applauded
to the echo.
President Groves, Of the teiegraphers'
local union, opened the meeting and in
trodueed p J. Ryan, member Of the
local bar and until recently editor Of the
Plate Printer as the chairman. Consid-
erlng the weather, the playhouse was
well filled. but. contrary 10 expectations.
there was no music or entertainment
features other than a few inimitable ef-
forts by sam De Nedrey, G. ". McEntee,
and John H. Brinkman.
The speakers. in evening dress. were
seated on the stage They were as fol-
lows: President Groves. Dir. Ryan. George
w. McEntee, Of the Telegraphers' Union;
John II. Brinkman, international secre-
tRry-treasurer Of the Carriage and Wagon
fe-4o
Of the local har; Sam De Nedrey, editor
Of the Trades Unionist. local organizer
Of the American Federation OF Labor, and
secretary OF the Central Labor Union; W.
w. Beattie. international first vice presi-
dent Of the telegraphers; F. c. Roberts,
Of Typographical Union, and Rev. DR..
Alexander Kent. There were a number
Of the messenger boys Of the two COM
panies in the audience.
Telegraph Companies Denounced.
Mr.. McEntee. the first speaker, outlined
the conditions that led up 70 the strike
alleging that the operators had been III
treated and oppressed until they could no
longer stand it. He characterized the COM
panies' statements as false and dissent
mated with malicious intent
He declared there were no $50 teleg-
rsphers: that the salaries were smaller
than that In the big cities. and that IN the
smaller towns and villages there were
few men or women paid over $50 a month,
which was by no means living wage.
He lauded the woman strikers Of IS and
those of the present day, and said the
men would follow their example and
stick"
sam De Nedrey. who followed Mr.. Nc
/ Entee made an eloquent speech on thu
scope OF the work of organized labor as
represented by the American Federation.
He declared the newspapers were in the
grip of the telegraph octopus. and il they
went wrong were squeezed TO death: that
/ Il cost them more for their franchise 10
get the news than it did for a plant. H
emphasized the labor movement as stand
| ing for and furthering the brotherhood OF
man and the fathership of God and told
lucidly what organized labor had done
toward alleviatiHg misery and uplifting
/ the masses.
Cooperation Only Salvation.
Mr.. Brinkman was also eloquent givine
the philosophy Of the trades union move.
ment. He cited conditions in the South
where. he said, men, women. and children
worked in the textile mills for s. and 50 a
week, the wage upon which families had
TO live. lie said that the trade unions
were weakest in the South. and wherever
they were weakest was the greatest
misery. He declared the only salvation OF
the working masses was in cooperation.
that capital was organized, and It could
only be fought through organization
/ Rev. DR.. Kent declared himself az
strongly in favor Of the trades movement
and even the strike, but advised that that
was the weaker method: that the great
strength Of organized labor lay I'm the
| ballot
The unions. he said. would shortly have
all they demanded but il would only be
/ through the merging Of the trades and
the farmers, when they could control tie
country as was ineended by our fathers.
He declared himself as strongly in favor
of the initiative and referendum. and
said that the eOmpanies now were having
( incorporated in many schools classes in
biography, only to drug the market and
thus reduce the salaries of operators.
Beattie Hurls Defiance.
| During the meeting there had been call
after call for Mr.. Beattie, and he re
sponded briefly before adjournment. He
arraigned the companies. and said that II
the newspapers would print the facts
Clarence H. Mackay and the other mag
mates would be thrown in jail
! He defended the strike, and hurled de-
fance at the companies, saying that the
/ statements put out were distorted. and
the conditions compelled an uprising OF
/ Indignation.