Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-08-09

DESERT KEYS
At CHICAGO
WESTERN UNION WIRES
SILENT IN BIG CITY
Refusal TO Work With Non
union Men in West Brings
Crisis Which May Involve
Whole Country.
lBy Morning Journal Special Leased wire.l

IBy Morning Journal Special Leased Wire |
Chicago. Aug S.-The strike Of the
telegraph operators employed in Chi
cago came tonight. The trouble was
precipitated by the Los Angeles strike,
which was begun two days ago.
Tonight the local executive board Of
the Commercial Telegraphers' union
met and passed resolutions which re-
quested the men to refuse to work
with the nOn-union telegraphers EN-
ployed in Los Angeles. When the
men were notified of this step all
operators employed in the overland
division Of the office refused to work
any longer with the non-union men
on the other end Of the eire. When
this was made Night
Chief Harry Price ordered all who re-
fused to work to leave the office. He
then went into other divisions and re-
quested the men to go to the over
land division. In every case he was
met with a refusal. until over seventy
men had been sent home. The griev-
ance committee Of the union called on
Price and notified him that unless
every man was reinstated by mid
night every union man in the office
would be called out. This demand
was refused. and promptly at mid
night. by a prearrangement, a whisa
lie WAS DltMU anu tNtlA bHtidAOi
employed I'm the main office, with the
exception Of six wire and loop chiefs,
including Night Manager Price and
his two assistants. left their keys. and
with a round of cheers filed out of the
office. The men employed by the
company at the various newspapers
had beer rItified of the contemplated
strike and they also quit work.
The local Officers Of the union to-
nipht stated that the dav force en-
ployed by the company. most Of
whom belong to the union, would re-
fuse % go 10 work I'm the morning.
This will also include all branch Of
fees throughout the city
The national officials of the union
spent all day today in an effort to
prevent the rank and file of the
organization from taking matters in
their own hands and calling a strike.
The men for weeks have maintained
a sullen attitude toward the company.
The Chicago force was dissatisfied
with the basis of the settlement
reached at the time the strike in San
Francisco was called off. Ever since
then thev have been visiting the Of
flee of National Secretary Russell
seekiug Information. Today his Of
flee was crowded all day long with
operators looking for news regarding
The nrogress Of the peace negotiations
i'm the west, but were given little sat
isfactiOn.
II am waiting to hear from Presi-
dent Small. Until | hear further
can say nothing" he said.
such replies, together with the fact
that the men believe, according to
their " statements, that President
small submitted to defeat at San
Francisco, was what prompted the
executive board of the local union to
take action tonight.
II vas under these conditions that
the strike was called without the
sanction Of the national officials.
After the men had quit work Sec
rotary Russell refused to talk about
the controversy except to say the men
had taken matters In their own hands
and undoubtedly felt that they were
capable of handling their own affairs.
Secretary Ulrlch, Of the local union,
said:
The men were utterly tired Of the
conditions under which they were
working. and could rot stand Il any
longer. When the additional insult
Of asking them to work with non
union men In Los Angeles was put
upon them. they refused to stand it
and quit work. We could get no in
formation OF the situation on the Pa
Cific coast from national officers.
and we decided that IL was up to us
to take care Of ourselves
When General Manager Cook, OF
the Western Union, was Informed OF
the strike he declared that he was
unable To say anything that would be
of any interest, and that he could not
outline the action the company would
take until tomorrow morning.
Fearing that trouble might arise
following the walk-Out of the men. an
official of the company a few min
utes before midnight telephoned to
the central station and requested that
several policemen be sent to the main
office of the company TO preserve or
der.
one lieutenant and five policemen
were ordered To report at the tele-
graph office. After the 200 men and