Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-11

lllIlllC DSl"tSH instant POiii''
Telegraphers' Union says it will, a,
ceiving the preconcerted signal WI
commercial operators to close their
where they are employed.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO, August 10.-A general strike,
including every Western Union, Postal and
commercial telegrapher in the country and
all operators on the Associated Press and
leased wires OF whatever kind. will be
called Monday morning, according to
word received from President Small of the
National Telegraphers' Union. This means
a complete tie-up of the entire country II
the order to strike is carried out, and there
is little doubt in the minds of those close
to the heart of the situation that 1t will
be.
In addition to the United States this new
development VIII affect Canada, as the
Commercial men there are nearly all mem
bers of the International Union and will re-
fuse to handle messages to the United
States The natural consequence will be
tie-up of commercial business in Canada.
So serious did the local situation become
today that hurry-up messages We're sent at
once to Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, and Presi-
dent Small of the National Telegraphers.
Secretary Edward Nickels of the American
Federation advised President Gompers to
take the next train for Chicago. and Wes-
ley Russell of the Telegraphers advised
President Small that the situation in Cali
fornia was unimportant compared with
that in Chicago.
Locally the situation assumed q new and
dangerous phase today when the strike
threatened to spread to the teamsters.
Two wagons from Marshall Field & Co.
and one from Segel Cooper. loaded with
cots designed for the Western Union. were
turned back by the pickets. An appeal was
sent to the teamsters to put the ban on the
Western Union and Postal companies
buildings and to refuse to deliver goods
there. 1t is not known yet what action the
teamsters will take, but the ease with
which the wagons were turned back is an
unfavorable indication.
May Affect Telephones.
It was rumored today that the Com
mercal men in the BOXERS offices who did
not participate in the recent raise of 10 per
cent enjoyed by the other operators would
be given substantial raise of from Il per
cent to 20 per cent II they would remain at
work. matter whether general strike is
called or not
An attempt made today To cripple
the long-distance teephnoe service. This
service is operated at kedzie avenue and
Attn street by thirty experts. These men
are members of the Commercial Telegra-
pliers Union and any attempt to transmit
what purports to he a Western Union
Postal mes sage over the long distance will
be the signal for an immediate strike there.
Even If the matter thee is smoothad over
for the present the men whose places can
hardly be filled will be compelled to go
out with the other unions Wednesday. thus
cutting off the Iong-distance phones well
as the wire service.
Ii was said today by the strike leaders
that the cable service to the Orisnt had
been entirely tied up by the strike. This
could not be verified from outside sources.
The men, however. expected this move to
accomplish results and give the strike
International phase.
The storm center today around La
Sale and Van Buren, streets \ mass meet
ing held in the morning at the open
board of trade rooms. at which the consti-
tuition of the union was suspended for
thirty days. and IL was announced that a
suit had been filed in one of the courts
for an injunction restraining the national
body from interfering in any way with the
conduct OF the local strike.
Reports of Pickets.
Reports from pickets received by the To-
cal union throughout the day indicated
that the Postal and Western Union were in
bad shape. despite the efforts to import
strikebreakers 1t was stated that twenty
five non-union operators hastily recruited
In New York arrived this morning
Two pickets who made their way to the
reported that they had found only four
operators at work in the wilderness OF KEYS
and switChboards. Two men, they said
were at work on the switchboards. They
were unable to get up to the tenth floor,
where the city and Wneatstone wires are
located Minor officials OF the company
had claimed about the same time that they
had sixty-hve men on the ninth floor and
thirty-1ve the tenth.
The Postal is tied up completely" said
secretary Uhlrich Of the local union. IAN