The Washington herald., 1907-09-30
SMALL SEES VICTORY
Telegraph Strike Leader in
City for Conference,
EXPECTS EARLY SETTLEMENT
Men Everywhere standing Firm and
the Companies beginning to Real
fEe They Are Out to Stay-MOre
Than $4,000 Now on Strike-TO
Address Meeting This Afternoon.

Confidently predicting a settlement Of
the strike within ten days, Samuel J.
Small. president of the Commercial
Telegraphers' Association. arrived in
Washington Yesterday. His mission in
this city, ,she states, is for the purpose of
gaining a general view Of the situation,
with which object he recently completed
a tour Of the Middle West Asked upon
what he based his conclusions as 70 an
early settlement of the strike. he replied
that there were several forces at work
toward that end. which as yet, however.
he could not discuss.
Mr.. Small was to address a meeting of
the telegraphers in Typographical Temple
yesterday afternoon. but owing to tho
lateness of his arrival the meeting was
postponed until o'clock this afternoon.
Referring to the situation generally
President Small said.
Official reports at national headquar-
ters show that there are a little more
than 1900 telegraphers on strike and less
than 300 at work These are located
principally in the large cities. Many
hundreds of them were managers Of Of
fees IN small cities which have been
temporarily closed.
Strikers Everywhere Determined.
I have visited a number Of large cities
during the past two weeks. among them
New York. Chicago. St. Louis. Pittsburg,
and Washington. Everywhere 7 am met
with the cry. No surrender The en-
thuslasm. while not as demonstrative as
at the beginning Of the strike, is Just as
strong as ever. Our members are de
termined 10 win. II makes no difference
10 them how long it takes 10 win-win
they Will
There are many signs Of weakness on
the company side. They have not been
so vociferous in their statements that the
strike is over since the expected break
in our ranks did not occur after the late
meeting of the board of directors OF the
Western Union Company IN New York.
We feel that the companies made their
last grand stand when they passed reso-
lutions at their executive committee meet
ing and later at their board Of directors
meeting commencing the officers on the
conduct Of the strike.
Companies Losing Money.
when a break did not occur in the
ranks Of the strikers after the meeting
of the board Of directors the officials of
both companies became discouraged. ap-
pareutIy and have since had little 10
say. As an evidence that the strike is
not over, or even waning. We point 10
the fact that in a majority Of the larger
cities the companies are not taking in
enough money 20 pay the strike-breakers, /
which neCessitates sending money from
New York 10 various parts Of the country /
to pay the few telegraphers now employ /
ed, and who. by the way, receive triple |
salary"
p. J. Ryan. a delegate of the Central |
Labor Union, yesterday held a conference |
with President Small I'm regard to the
question of the government ownership OF /
telegraph lines; resolutions in advocacy /
OF which We're recently adopted by the
Central Labor Union of this city and for /
waTded 10 all the central labor organiza- /
tons throughout the United States. with .
the request that they take similar action 4
FHvOrS Government Control.
In regard to this. President Small said I
that absolute government ownership Of I.
telegraph companies had never been pre- /
sented to the association as a whole and
that he therefore did not care to discuss /
that phase of the situation at the present /
time
I am said he, very much in favor
Of government control and shall at the .
next session of Congress, urge the adop- /
tion of legislation requiring the telegraph 1
TO place on each Telegram both 4
the time the message is filed for trans /
mission and the time received at its deS- /
tination. The public is entitled To know
that il receives the service paid for" /
Local Conditions SATISFACTORY.
Mr.. Small expressed himself as entirely /
satisfied with local conditions. Judging /
from the conferences I have had with
President Groves, of the local organiza-
tion. and Vice President Beattie. of the
national association" said he. Il am con- /
vinced that the telegraphers Of Washing /
ton are in this as determined to win as
at any time during the strike"
President Small viii leave for New York