Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-20
MAY END IN TEN DAYS
Determined Effort to Terminate
Strike of TeIegraphers.
NEW METHOD OF PROCEDURE
Synopsis of Agreement Expected to Be
Reached.
RESULT OF CONFERENCES
Plan Proposed by Commissioner of
Labor Neill-Small Not to Have
Dominating Voice.
OF CONFERENCES
RESULT

| A determined effort is being made to end
| the strike of the telegraphers by arbtra-
| ton. and with far indication of success, 1t
| is said. On good authority the statement
was made today that ten days from today
is the time fixed for the cessation of hos
tilities. In bringing about settlement 1t
is proposed to ignore President Small
of the Commercial Telegraphers' Associa
ton. as we'll the arbitrator he has
named. it was further stated. These ar
bitrators. who were selected by Mr.. Small
while he was in Chicago at the beginning
of the wakout, are President Gompers of
the American Federation of Labor, Presi-
dent John Mitchell of the United Mine
Workers and Mr.. OKeefe of the executive
board of the A. F. L.
The statement made from an au-
thoritative source that the termination of
the struggle is being arranged by Commits
sioner of Labor Neill. acting as the repre-
sentative of President Roosevelt The
strike will be declared off IN ten days and
| the operators now out taken back to work
| by the companies This is a synopsis of
| the agreement expected to be made within
| the next few days.
Result Of Conferences.
1t is the result Of a number Of confer
ences held between Commissioner Nein and
| committee Of operators from New York
| who represented the strikers. The COM
mittee comprised Thomas L. Mahan, presi-
dent of the Union Telegraphers' Aid Society
and a member of the local executive COM
mittee, and Arthur G.. Douglass, chairman
of the Postal chapel Of New York city.
1t was made clear that Commissioner
Neill has full authority to act for the teIe-
graph companies in arranging the basis for
a nd al 10 rod to
resent President Roosevelt. 1t Is known
that the companies are ready for arbitra-
| ton. Messrs. Mahan and Douglass brought
with them the authority given by a vote
of the operators in New York for the sub
IN iSsiOn Of all questions to arbitrati ton.
The plan proposed by Commissioner Neill,
which is acceptable to the operators, is for
the two telegraph companies to select three
arbitrators and the strikers to choose three
If these six are unable to agree on the sew
enth member he will be named by the Presi-
dent or some one designated by him. The
seventh member will undoubtedly be Com
missioner Neill. Immediately upon the
naming Of the arbitrator the strike will be
declared at an end and the operators will
resume work pending an adjustment.
Conclusions Shall Be Final.
1t will be agreed that the conclusions
reached by the board shall be accepted as
final. Some differences have arisen between
President Small and members of the Com
mercial Photographers Association. The ar
bitrators announced by Mr.. Small will not
be accepted by his followers.
Soon after the strike began Mr. Small
authorized a statement that when arbitra-
ton reached Samuel Gompers, John
! Mitchell and Mr.. O'keefe would be the
| representatives Of the operators. Neither
of these men is acceptable to those
| active in arranging a settlement, and it is
probable neither of them will serve. 1t is
| intended to choose men who have no con-
| - tkn taIA
unions
! The fact has become apparent. it Is said.
| that wide breach exists between President
| Small and the members of the Commercial
| Photographers Association. 1t Is not now
| intended that Mr.. Small shall have a dom
! mating voice in adjusting the prevailing
| troubles. The operators themselves will de-
| termine who shall represent them. The vote
| of the operators agreeing to arbitration,
| which was placed in the hands of Commits
| soner NELL, is above the constitutional
| quirement.
Mr.. Gompers Remains Silent.
When President Gompers was asked to-
| day to the visit of Messrs. Mahan and
| Douglass to Washington and their reported
| interview with Mr.. Neill. he declined to
| make a statement concerning the matter.
International Vice President W. W. Beat
| tie of the Commercial Telegraphers. when
seen this afternoon at strike headquarters
unofficially. that Mahan and Douglass had
conferred with the labor commissioner yes
terday afternoon. He added that he
endeavoring to ascertain what transpired
at the interview
Mr.. Beattie also confirmed report con-
corning the employment of certain of the
striking keymen by the Pennsylvania rail-
road. The report was to the effect that an
officer of the railroad telegraph service be-
ing in need of telegraph operators en-
ployed some of the former operators of the
Western Union and Postal companies
When the latter companies learned of it
they said to have entered a protest
against the employment of their employees
by the railroad authorities.
Basis of Protest.
The protest is based on an agreement that
is said to exist between the railroad and
telegraph companies that neither corpora
ton shall employ the operators of the
other.
To this the railroad superintendent Is said
to have rejoined that he regarded the key
men now on strike as discharged employees
the scope of any agreement OF the kind
named
Vice President Beattle said the local
strikers had already furnished the railroads
with thirty-f1ve keymen, while fourteen
more have been engaged for railroad
service.
so, you see," Mr.. Beattie added. "eyen
If the strike should be declared off now,
the telegraph companies would be badly
crippled for good operators. There are said
to be vacancies for forty more operators
in West Virginia on the Norfolk and West
ern railroad