The Washington herald., 1907-08-10

New York, Aug. 9-FOllowing the ini-
tiative Of the Chicago Western Union
telegraphers, who refused 10 receive from
nonunion operators in Los angeles. and
who walked out at midnight on Thursday.
ltelegraphers on the wires Of the Western
Union in a dozen large elites in The coun-
Try quit their posts in sympathy tonight
and the infection spread in two instances
Ito the Bostal Telegraph Company teIeg-
raphers.
At midnight reports showed that walk
outs had occurred in the day force Of the
Western Union teIesraphers at Chicago.
In the Offices Of the Western Union AZ
Kansas City. Helena. Mont: Denver,
Dallas. Galveston, Il Paso, Fort Worth.
and in the Postal Offices at New Orleans
and Chicago. The Western Union oper-
ators were out for half an hour in De-
troit and returned to their keys on a
compromise.
The night force IN Chicago left their
keys promptly at midnight THURSDAY
after having announced an hour before
that they would not take messages over
the wire from the noauaion operators at
Los Angeles. As soon as The day force
went on duty they delivered the same
ultimatum, and gave UP their keys. Just
making 100 telegrapbers on strike in the
Chicago Offices Of the Western Union.
Even while business was crippled dur
ing the trading hours to-day. the relsg-
raphers in other relay points West and
East Of the trunk distributing po.Bs at
Chicago were planning 10 a1here TO the
Chicago sympathetic movement
The revolt Of the union men in the Pos
tai Offices at Chicago and New Orleans
added an unexpected element 20 the stu
alton.
The sudden and widespread strike move
ment crippled business interests and him
oered the work Of the newspapers to-
night when il was only III iLs inception.
Eject Noticeable To-day.
With au union tciegrapaers of both
companies out in Chicago today. and
with Communication Interrupted 10
great degree between the larger. trade
centersi Of the country. the effect II tss
noveInsant viii be felt tomorrow ke1-lv.
Chi3sgo had 10 rely upon private wires
to-day 70 get New York stock c15-at5e-s.
/ Tomorrow New Orleans. Galveston a7i
kansas City, the special points Of inter
est u the cotton and beef market. aIso
q gf-if l. -f- =
except through The slender medium 0r
the i!eased wire.
The newspapers OF the country ey-
persenced difficulty tonight in III. ex-
change Of news. Only those tsqt had
rights on a leased wire could count on
refeiving uninterrupted service. and the
great bulk OF the tclegraplic i1telI.e4nee
was blocked
As far as can be gathered. the tarDer
Of the union telegraphers has shown a
! sudden and panicky unanimity OF resolve.
tt8ecause one man. member of The Los
i UAngeles local. who had been dise5er~ef
! for reported Incompetence IT the KEY.
I could not be forced back 10 hrs place
/ again by the union there. the Chicago
| Western Union operators took 10 the
fight and from them the spark Of insur-
rection jumped East, West auA South.
until within tyen,y-four hours nof less
than 3,0oO union men had walked out
/ The principle Of refusing t0 .aEe "se9bv
/ copy was turned against the FostaI COM
pany AT the eleventh hour and .heir teleg-
raphers in Chicago ana New orleans fol-
| lowed the crowd.
Day Operators Follow.
The night force ~ ;Ae Chicago Offices
Of The Western Un.on Telegraph com
pany which stopped work at midnight
Thursday. was followed early to-day by
the day operators, making 100 union
! telegraphers on strike at that point.
At Kansas City the union operators re-
fused to handle messages sent bv nom
union men in Chicago. and $50 Of the
men, including the operators on the
board OF trade. left their KEYS. The
Helena union struck for the same reason.
Late messages from Denver. salt Lake.
St. Louis. and Cleveland say that the
unions there nave decided TO walk out
rather than sit on the same wire with a
nonunion operator in Chicago.
It seemed the general opinion Of the
officers Of the Western Union COMPANY
here that the strikers in Chicago and
other Western cities would not move the
New York telegraDhers 10 go out. But
John AhearE. president Of the New York
Local. No. Is. Commercial Telegra t1ers.
Union, said to-day that the local union
did not intend TO act hastily and without
the advice Of the executive officers OF tha
central union.
Unable to Give Guarantee.
He intimated that the New York teleg-
raphers in the employ of the Western
Union had unsettled grievances against
the company. but that no guarantee that
the men here would strike could be given.
AS far as could be learned to-day from
the Western Union officials and men In
the local union, the strike
ators at Chicago sets the prec
may be followed by many
the telegraphers' union In
Chicago is the great relay &C
directions between the Ea
West. Every railroad betwee
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