The sun., 1907-08-14
GENERAL STRIKE IS ORDERED
EFFECTIVE TO-DAY --STRIkES Al
READY on "AUTHORIZED."
Commissioner NeIn Confers with Various
Labor Leaders In chicago and Admits
That . settlement In Out NJ the 9ues-
On-NiOre Business BEING Done.


tive board of the Commercial Telegraphers
Union voted to-day that a general strike
should be called tomorrow. Immediately
after President Small's arrival in Chicago
tomorrow the recommendations to call a
strike throughout the United States and
Canada will be presented to him.
The executive committee met In the
Monon Building. and after a heated argi-
ment, in which the more conservative
committeeman argued against the move
ment. the decision for q general strike was
reached. This message. instructing the
local presidents and secretaries to be in
readiness for the general call, was sent
out:
CHICAGO OFFICE. Aug. is. 1907
To all Local Presidents and Secretaries:
President Small is en- route to Chicago.
| Will arrive Tomorrow IL In the Judgment
| OF the general executive board and the ma
tional secretary. and they will 80 recommend
to the president on his arrival. that general
strike should be authorized Prepare your
forces.
WESLEY RUSSELL. National Secretary.
At the same meeting the executive board
Authorized" all strikes now in effect Mr..
Russell sent out this message
| To all local Presidents and Seczefaries:
General executive board here. Strike In
| cities now out authorized and legal. Local
officers in those cities will spare no efforts TO
| take out every operator in Western Union.
| Postal and Associated Press. Teegraphers
in other cities will refuse to work with offices
| on strike
President Gompers of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor, President John Mitchell Of
the United Mine Workers, Ralph NJ. Easley
Of the Civic Federation, Labor Camms-
sioner Neill and Secretary Russell conferred
this afternoon at the Great Northern Hotel
Mr.. Neill was reported to have been in con-
ference with Superintendents Cook and
Capen Of the Western Union and Postal
companies. respectively.
Mr.. Neill admitted later that the settle
ment Of the strike was a hopeless propo-
sition. Commissioner Neil was seen in his
rooms at the Great Northern. mo man is
going to settle this strike we're his exact
words.
The striking telegraphers will not con-
slider arbitration for a moment and the
names Of Neill and Easley were Kissed to-
day in the big mass meeting held inIBrand's
Hall
Later in the day, when it became evident
that all efforts to bring about peace were
fruitless, Commissioner Neill and Mr..
Easley gave up their rooms at the Great
Northern Hotel. IL is not believed that
Mr.. Neill will return to Washington. how
ever. without seeing President Small. who
will reach here tomorrow from California.
President Gompers will not wait longer,
as he is confident nothing can be done at
present to bring about peace He will
leave tomorrow for New York and WASH
ington to attend an executive meeting Of
the federation
The strike order was drafted to-day by
Secretary Russell. He submitted il to the
members Of the national executive board
for ratification later and the board decided
il could do no less than carry out the wishes
Of the strikers.
The officers Of the Order of Railway Teleg-
raphers pledged their aid to the commercial
telegraphers and declared they would assist
the strikers in every way possible. OFF,
cials Of the Postal and Western Union COM
panies continued to declare that they had
nothing to arbitrate or discuss with the
striking operators. and that no committee
representing the idle employees would be
entertained.
II was declared bv the commercial op-
orators that railway operators working
for the Chicago and Northwestern and the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroads
had been asked to send commercial mes
sages. The railroads denied the rImors.
Col. Charles s. Diehl. assistant general |
manager OF the Associated Press, an |
nounced that although its service was Grip |
pied the Associated Press would continue |
to supply news to it's members. Operators
were at work in the Associated Press office |
and most of its leased wires were manned.
All the strikers Of the Postal received
Friday night The men filed through the
Offices Of the company's building Some
confusion was occasioned when they pre-
sented their locker keys and requested the
to work for the company The officials
at first refused to make the payment but
later agreed to exchange a dollar for each
key turned over
Despite Chief of Police shippy's order
that pickets were not to patrol the struck
district about the Western Union, Board
Of Trade and Postal buildings striking
operators were seen in those localities.
None OF the pickets attempted to cause
any trouble.
The Western Union market tickers re-
sumed business in all the La Sale street
and Board Of Trade brokerage Offices at
e15 O'Clock.
Operators working at the Kedsie avenue
Of the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company reported TO the local
union OF the legraphers that they had no
grievance and would not leave their posts.
For time 10 was feared that these oper-
dtOTb WOulu JOIN tue BeneTal btTlhe,
The situation in Canada developed much
discussion in Chicago as to the legal as
poets. II ID provided by statute in Canada
that no snap judgment or overt act shall
be taken by capital or labor on the people
as a whole. and to guard against hard
ship the law provides that all labor dis
putes or impending strikes or lock outs
shall be submitted to the authorities at
Ottawa.
c. f. Hill. Canadian member Of the Com
WI in in M |
tendance at the conferences now being
held here. said to-day that he was not pre-
pared to discuss the Canadian situation in
detail. but asserted that persons striking
in violation Of the law were subject to in
dividual fines Of $40 or more, while en-
ployers other individuals. copartnerships
or corporations were subject TO a penalty
Of 81 900 IL lock kouts were enforced without
the same notice to Ottawa.
STRIKE SPREADS IN THE EAST.