Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-14
STRIKERS CONFIDENT
ASSERT THAT
COMPANIES ARE HELPLESS.

At the local headquarters of the striking
telegraphers there is much jublation felt
over the remark of Secretary Metcalf made
last night. When asked where he was dur
ing the few days he was reported to be
lost he replied, Il was unable to send gov
ernment messages In the northwest owing
to the strike of the telegraph operators.
This. the striking telegraphers claim. indi-
Gates that the companies are being pushed
hard when they cannot rush through gov
ernment business, as this business has
precedence over all others.
Reports from locals all over the country
announce full treasures, and all strikers
standing firm, with no desertions, ana many
recruits from those who began strike
breakers and afterward gave up and joined
the strikes.
w. W. Beattie, first vice president of the
Commercial Telegraphers Union of Amer
lea, is confident the strikers have won
great victory and that the companies are
only holding out through mere obstinacy.
Funds are ample and it is said that the
strikers can remain out an indefinite time.
The American Federation of Labor has
promised financial assistance, and this
means, 1t is said, that the huge organi-
zation will be assessed in the interest Of
the strikers and that great sum will thus
be realized.
"Str1kerS Pald Regularly"
Locally the ranks are said to be unbroken,
and the strikers say that they have learned
from reliable sources that the men the COM
panies have employed are about ''all in
physically, and many are willing to quit
on a moments notice. Local strikers are
being paid regularly by the union, it is
asserted and there is no friction of any
kind. In fact, the men seem determined,
after five weeks of it, to stay until the bit
ter end before they win accede to the former
pay.
Reports from the south and west repre-
sent conditions simply stagnant to
movement of business. Some days ago a
report was sent out from Chicago to the ef-
feet that 175 wires had failed east Local
strikers claim this was an absurdity, and
that the report was circulated by the COM
panies In order to account for their not be-
ing able to handle the business given them.
Much amusement was caused at local
headquarters by the statement issued after
the meeting of the Western Union board of
directors to the effect that they congrat-
ulated the officials upon their conduct Of
the late strike. This statement, they
claim, shows the straits to which the
companies have been reduced, and the re-
fusal of the Western Union to issue a quar-
terly statement of earnings. 1t Is claimed
is proof positive that they cannot back up
their boasts to the public by figures.
Reports are constantly being circulated
that men are returning to work at different
points. This is branded by strikers as
deliberate piece of deception. On the con-
trary II is said that men are joining the
ranks of the strikers all the time, and that
al the end of the fifth week the strikers are
stronger in every way and their cause is
brighter than at the beginning.
The local strikers do not seem to be Wor-
rIed in the least. They are going fishing,
sailing, making excursions into the coun-
try and otherwise acting as though any
thought of defeat was the most remote
thing in the world.