The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-10

- $3.50
so nut It last night. He said;
I'VE have tried for the last three weeks
to secure reinstatement in the New York
Office Of nine photographers. five men and
four women. who were suspended On ac-
count of union Affiliations some months
ago These operators we're to be REIN
stated under the agreement made by the
president Of the Western Union, Robert &.
Cluwry and Commissioner of Labor Charles
I. Neil This has not been lone. Our
ricmberH at the main Office and throughout
the city branches have become Disguised
with the shabby treatment Of the Western
Union officials in this city.
We have done everything In our power
- prevent a telegraphers' strike In this
city. for we fully appreciate what havoc
j, will cause among the business interests
and to the public IN general. The Western
Union officials have used every method
az their command to bring about a strike,
and IL ore occurs in New York they will
be held directly responsible for it,"
Al 7 o'clock last night a COMMITTEES of
three. representing the union employees Of
the Postal Telegraph Company in Chicago,
waited upon General Superintendent W. |.
Capel and presented a schedul Of demands
on the part Of the Postal employees. They
gave tho superintendent thirty minutes in
which TO make a reply. When told that no
reply could be forthcoming in that limit
the committee retired and in a few minute
every key manned by n union operative in
the Postal system in Chicago was deserted.
Vice President Charles Adams Of the Pos
t~aIcompany was seen last night in his Office,
2i3 Broadway, after the report Of the walk
QUO in his company's Chicago Office had
come IN. Mr.. Adams. who had given out
An optimistic interview concerning the
iminnnity OF the Postal company from
STANDARDIZATION in the afternoon, had this
to.say about the new development:
This strike il unexpected. unwarranted
and entirely without justification. This
afternoon the company had no intimation
that there would be trouble. IL il plain
on the face of il hat the Postal operators
simply went on a sympathetic strike. for
they presented demands and required
that they he answered in thirty minutes
a palpable subterfuge.
-Since last September, when the Chicago
schedule went into effect, there has not been
4 demand made by the employees Of the
Postal which has not been fully considered
and answered. On March l a 10 per cent.
Increase in the wage schedule went into
fleet all around. The Postal company
has done all it could for it's employees con-
sistent with good business management.
This il not a question Of wages raised now
Mr.. Adams said that the Postal had four
wires working between New York and
Chicago last night and that the company
vas going to take immediate steps to man
all their wires out Of Chicago to-day. He
Haid he did not know what effect the Chicago
strike would ave on the New York operators
Last night the Western Union reported
that they had eighteen wires working be-
tween New York and Chicago n that
messages were being received as fast as
they we're sent.
CHICAGO A WIRE CENTRE.
A far az could De learned yesterday
from the Western Union officials and men
In the local union the strike Of the opera
tors in Chicago sets an example which
may be followed by many branches of the
telegraphers' union in other cities. Chi
eago is the great relay centre for all lines
between the East and the West. Every
railroad between New York and Chicago
except the Pennsylvania is paralleled by
lines Of the Western Union. and the trunk
lines west Of Chicago are almost as nu-
merous. With non-union operators in
Chicago union men in a score OF lar ge
centres will be forced either to receive
from strikebreakers OF to leave their keys.
The Chicago men set the example by re-
fising TO receive or send to the strike
breakers who have taken the places Of the
striking operators in Lo 3 Angeles.
One man who holds a responsible posi-
ton in an executive Office of one OF the
telegraph companies in New York and who
Is thoroughly cOnversant with the union
labor situation in the companies said y es-
ierday that the various walkouts of the
telegraphers was unprecedented, al il was
= direct Contravention of one of the rules
OF the Commercial Tele %graphers' Union.
One Of the cardinal bylaws of the main
body" said he, SIS that whenever a local has
grievances and medltates a strike no action
should be taken until the grievances a nd the
plans of the local are laid before the ex ecu-
tive committee of the national body A
walkout cannot he undertaken without the
Conaent of the general officers.
YET in the Chicago instance, and as far
~ we have been able TO gather in the other
cities where w%alkouts have occurred, such
action has been taken Independently OF the
executive committee of the larger body and
with no reference to the heads of the union.
Nor have the unions in Chicago, Kansas
City and other places any stated grievance
that has regularly been submitted to their
company. They simply have taken action
IN their own initiative.
This shows conclusively that the locals
are beyond the power Of President Sam
Small and the executive committee of the
main body. Nor is Mr.. Small in a position
To reprove or TO check them. for he ia playing
politics too strongly in his own organiza-
tion"
IN POSTAL, H.
Charles Adams. vice-president Of the
Postal company. yesterday said about the
situation in thai company as he understood
IL. There is absolute harmony between
the Postal and its employees as far as the
heads of the company know. and they keep
In touch with their employees everywhere.
The union men have no reason to strike
against US Ninety per cent. Of the opera
tors we employ in our central Office are union
men, and all Of them are getting from $40 to
$33 a week for less than ten hours work a
day"
President Clowry OF the Western Union
company gave out a statement OF the COM
pany's position yesterday. He said:
On July % an operator at Los Angeles
was charged with delaying traffic mali
ciously. After a careful Investigation,
which occupied several days. had shown con
clusively that he was guilty of obstructing
traffic deliberately on important circuits
h" was discharged. A petition signed by
other employees Of the Office requesting his
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