The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-10-18
VOTE
ON GOING
TO WORK
Lack Of Funds With Which to Car
rY on the Fight Against
the Western
Union and Postal Companies Lon
ger IS Believed to be.
the Cause.

NewYork, Oct. 1.-THE great strike
of commercial telegraphers which has
lasted for nearly ten weeks and tied
up business in many parts of the coun-
try probably will be voted off by the
operators tomorrow or Monday An
order to call local unions to vote on
the subject of calling off the strike
was sent out by President Small of the
Commercial Operators union today.
Small tonight confirmed a report to
this effect. He would not say wheth-
el or not the executive board of the
union had authorized submitting the
question to the locals for settlement.
At the union headquarters it was
stated that the vote of locals probab-
ly will be taken tomorrow, as all the
unions hold meetings on Sunday. The
results may be known by the national
officers tomorrow night. If the vote
favors calling off the strike, this ac-
tion will Immediately follow.
Lack of funds to carry on the fight
against the Western Union and Postal
Companies longer is believed to have
caused the calling Of the vote If the
strike is voted off, it means the oper
ators have lost in the great struggle.
The resources of the companies, it is
believed, proved too great for the
union, which entered upon the strike
without great preparation for the
struggle.
Operators to whom the news of the
order for vote became known tonight
expressed the opinion that their cause
is by no means lost one. The union
will be preserved, they say, strength
ened- and in the future may hope to
test conclusions with the companies
with better prospects of success. The
present strike has shown the weak
nesses Of the union.
President Small was seen at the
Astor house, his headquarters.
"You may say l confirm the report
that vote of the locals has been
ordered" he said. "The order was
sent out today. That is all have to
say about the matter"
About the strikers headquarters the
order to vote is construed as an indi
cation that the national officers be-
lieve that it is useless to continue the
fight
BY calling off the strike some of the
operators here profess to believe much
will be saved to the operators who left
their keys. 1t is believed the CON-
panies will take back the majority of
the strikers and on the old terms Of
employment. With the increased busi-
ness of the companies expected to fol-
low calling off the strike, it is OK
planned many operators will be need
ed.
Officers and members of the New
York local are bitter against President
Small. His action, they say, amounts
to calling off the strike. While the call
was sent all over the country, it was
not given to the local here. Small
contented himself with asking the
officers to secure large attendance at
tomorrow's meeting, saying he would
have an important announcement to
make to them.
Such is the temper of the men that
a hot fight will doubtless result at to.
morrow's meeting. Some members
openly asserted that the union will
vote down Small's proposition. Local
men are the more bitter because they
declare the strike was practically won.
In the referendum vote ordered each
local votes on the question of return
ing to work for itself. If the radical
element prevail, New York will vote
to continue the strike even In the face
of Small's proposition for the local 20
settle the question whether the fight
is to go on.
. = 9 & e & e = e g Z = = g = +
8 It was learned from unofficial e
$ sources tonight that Small's call &
{. states that the union has exhaust:
= ed it's financial resources, there is .
= no prospect of negotiations with I:
= the two companies. and he thinks !:
I. vote necessary to decide wheth- =
q, er the strike be continued under e
q, such unfayorable conditions. &