Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-08-16
CHICAGO OPERATORS
DESERT THE KEYS
General Strike Was Ordered by
the Executive Committee
at Midnight.

Chicago, Aug. 10.-The telegraph OPP.
orators employed by the Western Un-
ion in Chicago went on strike last night
at Il o'clock. The trouble was pre-
cipitatsd by the Los Angeles strike,
which vas inaugurated two days ago.
Last night the local executive board
of the Commercial Telegraphers' union
met and passed resolutions requesting
the men to refuse to work with the
nonur.on operators employed in Los.
Angeles.
When the men were notified Of this
step all operators employed In the
Overland division of the local office
refused to work any longer with the
%nonunion men on the other end of the
wire. When this announcement was.
made night chief Harry Price ordered
all who refused 10 work to leave the
office. He then went into other div
isions n requested the men TO so into
the Overland division. In every case he
was met with a refusal until over sew
enty men had been sent home.
The grievance committee Of the un-
ion called on Mr.. Price and notified
him that unless every man was REIN
stated by midnight every union man in
the Office would be called out.
Quit at Midnight.
The demand was refused, and
promptly at midnight, by a pre-
di ia-lBSIIlSlil, t whistle dS anu
every operator employed in the main
office with the exception of six wire
and loop chiefs. including Night Man
ager Price and his TWO assistants, left
their keys and with Il round of cheers
filed out Of the Office.
The men employed by the
at the various morning newspapers had
been notified of the contemplated strike
and they also quit.
Thh local officials of tho union stated
that the day force employed by the
company, most of whom belong to the
union, would refuse to go to work in
the morning. This win also include the
branch Offices throughout the city.
The national officials of the union
spent all day in an effort to prevent the
rank and file" of the organization
from taking matters III their own hands
and calling a strike. The men for weeks
nave maintained a sullen attitude
toward the company. The Chicago
force was dissatisfied with the basis of
the settlement reached at the time the
strike in a Francisco was called off.
Ever since then they have been visit
ing the office of National Secretary
Russell seeking information. Yesterday
his office was crowded all day long with
operators LOGGING for news regarding
the prosress of the peace negotiations
IN the west, but were given little salts
faction.
Il am waiting to hear from Presi-
dent Small. Until 1 hear further 1
can say nothing" he said
Such replies, together with the
fact that the men believe, according
to their own statements. that Presi-
dent Small submitted to defeat at San
Francisco waS what prompted the
executive board of the local union to
take action tonight. 1t was under
these conditions that the strike was
called without the sanction of the ma
tional officers.
After the men had quit work Sec
rotary Russell refused TO talk about
the controversy except to say that
the men had taken matters in their
own hands and undoubtedly felt that
they were capable of handling their
own affairs.
Local Secretary's Statement.
Secretary Ulrich, Of the local union,
said:
The men were utterly tired of the
conditions under which they were
working n could o stand it any
longer. When the additions. insult of
asking them to work with non-union
men in Los Angeles was put upon
they they refused to stand 1t and Quit
work. We could get no information
of the situation on the Pacific coast,
from our national officers, so we de-
cided that 1t was up to US to take
care of our ourselves"
When General superintendent Cook.
Of the Western Union. was informed
OF the strike he declared hat he was
unable to say anything that would
be OF any interest, and that he could
not outline the action the company
would take until morning.