The sun., 1907-08-12

tween the company and the teiegrs pliers
should first be given for settlement into
the hands OF a joint committee; that failing.
arbitrators should take up the matter.
Our special complaint against the company
il that in the case OF the nine dischar rged
employees the committee Of the union had
great difficulty in getting into touch with
the company.
When the committee was received
Supt milford said that the cases should
be considered collectively and not indi-
vidually. and he claimed that since the
discharged employees were no longer on
the rolls OF the company they could have
no grievance against 1t. We refused TO
accept this slibterfuge We stand for the
principle that every employee that il dis
charged should have his case submitted
to arbitration we want our stenog-
raphers present at the meeting of the
arbitrators.
in brief what we demand from the
company is a full fair and impartial ar
btration Of all differences on neutral
ground"
Percy Thomas, deputy national presi-
dent Of the union, wished to contradict
the statements the telegraph companies
had given out as to the pay Of their teleg-
raphers. Instead of receiving from s25
to s3l a week, as the companies have an
nounced, the highest salary paid any teleg-
rapher was s2i so said Thomas, and the
average salary of first class operator
was $ls There were hundreds in New
York who belonged to what is known as the
junior class who get from 81 to sl2.
"ln order TO make from s25 TO S3i a teleg-
rapher must work practically twenty 1--we
hours week overtime, said Thomas.
MANY find il necessary to do this. Many
work until and O'Clock in the morning
and then report for duty again at or 10
O'Clock the same morning in order TO make
sufficient wages To meet the increased cost
of living in New YORK city.
Now the companies are making special
inducements TO the men to work. just as
they have on other occasions when a strike
threatened. But on other occasions they
have promptly placed these men back on
the lowest wage scale at the conclusion of
the difficulties"
Thomas added that as soon as he gets
word from the executive committee AT
Chicago that an agreement with the tee-
graph companies cannot be reached he
will order a strike in all the cities east of
Pittsburg and between Florida and Canada.
He said also that IL was extremely difficult
to hold the more radical members Of the
union in check and that he trusted that the
members of the New York local would
abide by the decision Of the majority at
esterday meeting.
DISCHARGED MEN CRY LIBEL.
The union officials said that Supt. Bar
clay Of the Western Union had been quoted
in some of the papers as saying that the
nine employees whose reinstatement the
union is seeking had been discharged for
drunkenness. These ex-em ployees were
going before District Attorney Jerome
to-day. it was said, and would seek to have
criminal proceedings for libel brought
against Barclay. Three of the persons in
question were teetotalers. said the union
officials and four were women.
The union officers also said that in view
Of the present situation the issue Of union
politics in the local had been set aside by
the withdrawal of Daniel Y. Russell in the
race for president in favor Of Percy
Thomas
When President Ahearn was asked con-
Cerning the report from Chicago that the
railroad tele Rraphers on the Rock Island
system might make common cause with
the commercial telegraphers he said that
the commercial telegraphers in New York
had Eeen advised that n. p. Perham. pres-
den; Of tse Order Of Railroad Telegraphers.
would lie present at the conference in
Chicago and that il the negotiations failed
me railroad telegraphers would go out all
over the country.
Ahearn also made the positive state
.nent that all the members Of the New
''ork local we're pledged TO continue at
~'ork until the result Of the Chica go de-
liGerations was known, without any refer
ence to conditions in other cities. The
men would take from strikebreakers with
out revolving. said Ahearn