Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-08-13
TROUBLESPREADS WITH
REMARKABLE RAPiDlTY
operators Walk Out In Many Cities
and Business In the Country Is
Seriously Affected-chcaso Board
Of Trade Is Tied UP. 1
TeIeoraphers on Strike,

Los Angeles Northumberland %
Dallas ................., 1o5
New Orleans ..............s. 560
Colorado Springs ............-u rs
FL Paso 16
Denver .................,. es
Fort Worth .................. 20
Minneapolis ............ Entire forcef
Houston ................En Entire foroe1
Chicago, Aug. IL. Open warfare
between President Small and the rank
and file of the telegraph operators
throughout America on the one hand
and members of the national exedu-
tive committee on the other was de-
clared Saturday at a monster meeting
of the Chicago strikers in the Open
Board Of Trade building.
Frank Likes, acting president in the
absence of President Small. announced
that legal action would be commenced
to enjoin the national executive board
from tying up the funds of the local
union.
Charges Board Is DisloyeI.
In explanation he charges the board
has sold out" to the Western Union
and Postal Telegraph officials and
would do all In its power to defeat
the men.
The strike is spreading throughout
the country. The Western Union op-i
orators at Minneapolis left their keys
at $3.50 o'clock when ordered to handle
h1lc IN
al and Western Union men did like
wise at 1920 o'clock when messages
to struck towns were handed to them
to deliver.
Other points are In the balance.
The business interests of the country
are in danger Of complete paralysis.
Linemen May Join Strike.
Representatives of the Electrical
Workers union and the Union Line
men were present at the Open Board
of Trade meeting and signifed their
intention to order a sympathetic
strike.
President Small notified the local
union he had suspended the constitu-
ton of the national organization for
3 80 days. This is the only way in
which he can force out of power the
national executive board.
p. G. Ramsay, former president of
the Order of Railway Telegraphers,
duct the legal battle.
A move to demand federal owner
ship and CONTROL of the telegraph lines
Of the country now owned and op.
Grated by the two great wire monopo.
lies was made by the Telegraphers'
union.
Laws giving the national govern.
ment the power to confiscate property
Of interstate and quasi-public tnstitu.
lions doing business as common car.
siers (Which class includes the West
ern Union and Postal companies)
were nnearthed in the federal statutes
BY lawyers hired by National secre.
tAry Wesley Russell, who has been
deputized by President Small to take
entire charge OF the Chicago strike sit.
uation.
Nonunion Operators Imported.
Twenty-Five nonunion teregraphers
arrived in Chicago Saturday on the
Twentieth Century limited of the Lake
Shore railroad from New York.
This is the first importation Of key.
men to oil the places of strikers. The
operators were hired in New York
BY the Western Union Telegraph com.
SsVany. No expense was spared in
ching the men to Chicago.
tke,ss comfort that could be afford
"a millionaire in flying trip from
lew York to Chicago was given the
men. They probably will be quar-.
tered in the Western Union building,
where sleeping accommodations have
been provided. Other nonunion men
are being secured as fast as possible
In New York and eastern cities to be
rushed to Chicago.
A complete tieup Of every telegraph
wire out Of Chicago including even
the leased wires operating In broker.
age Offices and the leased wires of the
big press associations, will soon be
effected. it is predicted by officials OF
the Commercial Telegraphers' union.
Chicago will then be shut off abso.
ilutely from Geographic communica.
'tion with the outside world.
Following the walkout Of Postal Tel
tegraph company operators, when the
strike whistle was sounded in the
Postal building at La Sale and Van
Buren, streets. the Telegraphers
union met to take UP the question OF
calling out every union keyman in
Chicago.
If, as predicted, the big press asso
Citations are shut off and the leased
wire men are called from their keys
Chicago markets will be paralyzed. Nc
telegraph news can reach the city
and the brokerage Offices, stock ex
change and board of trade will he
hopeless
Strike Is Spreading Fast.
Inc situation is becoming alarming
throughout the country.
Nearly a dozen big western cities
are now strikebound. Dispatches
from New York say union men there
mployed by both companies NAV
ave their keys at any minute.
othsr big eastern cities it is re.
tauthat hundreds Of men are on
makes Ct + leaving work Some Of
aranhed sssted are. Detroit, Cincin.
more lectur. o''esns ana u
fill. o yes, i.
he is. That is,