The sun., 1907-08-13
ARBITRATION KICKED ASIDE
NEITHER SIDE WILL HAVE 1T,
CHICAGO DISPATCHES SAY.
Commissioner Neiii. Gompers. Mitchell.
EssIey and Others Arrive In chicago 10
Find Both sides Firm All Jump In,
hut Make No Headway for Peace.

CHICAGO. Aug. 10.-The telegraphers
strike against the Western Union and Postal
companies broke the bounds Of national
lines to-day and became continental. cross
ing into Canada. Il also involved many OF
the newspapers Of the country when the
operators OF the Associated Press went out.
The strike passed out OF the baaiwick con-
trolled by local telegraph officials into the
districts east and west. Chicago is the
centre Of the conflict and the national labor
leaders Of different unions are gathering
here for consultation. A general strike OF
all operators in the United States and
Canada will be called tomorrow. So acute
was the situation here to-day that Supt.
Cook Of the Western Union admitted that
Chicago was cut OF from the outside.
Arbitration resolved its quietus to-day
both from the men and from the Weste IN
Union Telegraph Company. The Chicago
operators repudsted the peace measures
which were a sort OF symposium affair
contributed to by Ralph l.. NJ. Easley, chair
man Of the executive committee OF the Ma
tional Civic Federation. United States Com
missioner of Labor Charles p. Neill,
President s. ). Small OF the Commercial
Telegraphers Union of America and
President Gompers Of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor.
General Superintendent Cook Of the
Western Union issued a statement in which
he said fatly that there would be no arbi-
tration. General Secretary Wesley Russell
Of the union issued a bulletin to striking
locals in which he told them to stand fast
and described their fight as won.
This was the situation that confronted
Messrs Neill. Easley and Gompers when
they arrived in Chicago to-day in the role
of peacemakers. MIR. Easley who tried to
induce the New York operators to remain
at work awaiting developments until
| Thursday and then hurried to a Chicago
train. arrived to be greeted by Chicago
union officials rejoicing over the. news
received a moment before that the New
| York Western Union operators had gone
out. President Small and other members
| Of the executive board are due in Chicago
on Wednesday night 10 hold a conferences
Of war. following which. prevailing senti-
ment at headquarters said. general
strike surely would be called.
| Mr.. Easley and Commissioner Neill were
seen at their apartments at the Great
Northern Hotel MIR. Easley. who wa
alone at the beginning Of the interview.
said that he and Commissioner Neill had had
a meeting with President Gompers during
the morning. following which Mr. Neil
had gone to the Chicago headquarters OF
his department in the Federal Building.
Il can say nothing. lis for him 70 do the
talking said Mr.. Easley.
At that minute Commissioner Neil
entered the room. He said:
Il will make no statement while in Chi
cago.'
Samuel Gompers arrived from Des Moines
and registered at the Briggs House. He
said his visit had no direct connection
with the strike, although he was much
interested in the struggle and was willing
TO lend his good offices il IL was shown
that he could be helpful He had not beer
asked 20 interfere in any way and had not
had any communication with President
Roosevelt.
With the arrival OF President Gompers