The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-08-26
PEACE SOUGHT
BY STRIKERS
Photographers Will Elect
Committee to Bring About
Settlement.
SMALL IN NEW YORK
President of Union Will Attempt to
Reach Heads Of Companies to
Settle Dispute.

The leaders Of the telegraph strike
yesterday opened the way to peace ne
gotiations with the telegraph companies
by ordering the election of a peace"
committee of fifteen. Voting will be
in progress today in every center
where the operators are on strike. 1t
is expected the committee viii be ready
for business about the time President
Small makes his efforts to reach the
heads of the telegraph companies in
New York.
Secretary Russell said the strike can
be settled quickly If the companies will
agree to meet the committee Some of
the union officials seemed to be con-
fident that such a meeting will be ar
ranged within few days
1t is not a difficult matter to settle
our troubles with the telegraph com
panies." said Secretary Russell. "All
we ask is that the companies receive
the committee and discuss the situa-
ton"
While Secretary Russell did not say
so, it is understood that the peace"
committee would act as representatives
OF the striking employees and not as
delegation from the union.
Puzzle 80 Company Managers.
The action Of the operators was puz-
zling to the local telegraph managers.
They declared they had heard of no
changes in the strike situation which
would warrant the selection OF such
committee. They thought the move was
simply of conciliatory nature.
That the operators are weakening
was firmly denied by Secretary Russell,
who declared preparations now are I'M
der way for spreading the strike. Rus
sell asserted that an aggressive cam
paign to win over strikebreakers also
will be started this morning all over
the country. Local unions in each city
have received orders to appoint special
"squadrons" of strikers whose duty it
will be to attempt to close up or cripple
offices which are now struggling along
under difficulties.
Ten thousand appeals were sent out
during the day to operators in small
towns who are still at their keys, in
viting them to join the strike. Hereto
fore the strike leaders have made no
effort to interfere with telegraph bust
ness in towns where only one or two
operators are employed The new move
is intended to cripple the companies in
out of the way places.
Another feature of the guerilla war
fare which the strike leaders are map
ping out pertains to the ticker" stock
quotation service. 1t is said the brok-
ers. in whose offices "tickers" are oper-
ating. viii be required to remove them.
Western Union clocks also are to come
under the union ban.
Big Meeting In Brands Hall.
The spea kers at the massmeeting in
Brands hall in the afternoon talked
along aggressive lines. The meeting
was one of the most largely attended
since the strike began. Nearly one
third of the audience was composed of
women strikers and their friends
Il am just as confident that we will
win as 1 was two weeks ago" Secretary
Russell told the operators. Il believe
we have the business men of the coun-
try with us in this fight and that, if
necessary, we can get financial aid from
them"
Russell said the strike had changed
from the vacation to the fighting stage
and that the coming week would prove
t. be the most severe test of the strug-
gle
The telegraphers will stay out two
months to win this strike" declared
S. ]. Konenkamp of the national exc
cutive hoard. l understand Vice Presi-
dent Nally of the Postal gave us two
weeks. The time is up and we are still
standing firm. Mr.. Naly probably will
extend the time limit now"
H ]. Easton of Omaha and ". L.
Rutter of the Buffalo union also ad-
dressed the strikers and reported that
conditions in those cities were favorable
10 the telegraphers. Money contribu-
tions from other unions were said to
be coming in fast by Frank Likes. who
read the names of a number of labor
organizations that already have made
donations to the operators.