The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-08-14
WE HAVE NOTHING
TO ARBITRATE." i"
positions TAKEN eY TELEGRAPH
COMPANIES OFFICIALS.
STRIKERS TELL OF GAINS.
They Say that Operators In 26 Cities
In the United States and Canada
Were Added to the Strike
il. Roll Tuesday

New York Aug. lI.-From tho
viewpoint of the employers of tele.
graph operators the strike situation
last night was declared to he improv.
ing hourly and the officials of both
che Western Union and Postal COM
panies announced themselves 70 be
more than satisfied with the progress
that had been made toward the res.
toration of wire communications
throughout the country
1T is now not so much question
of restoring communication" declar-
ed an official. "as it is Of re-establish-
ing normal conditions" These Off.
cials we're frank to admit that some
surprise was ocCasioned by the action
of their operators in different cities
going out Tuesday but declared that
none of the days strikes left them
with an entirely crippled force
The officials of the Telegraphers'
union, on the other hand, expressed
satisfaction with the progress Of the
strike. They pointed to the cities in
which a number of operators of both
the big companies had left their keys
Tuesday and predicted that their eX-
ample would influence other offices in
which the men have been wayering to
join the ranks Of the strikers.
As far as the situation in New York
is concerned but two new features de-
voloped Tuesday. One was q meeting
Of the Wall street chapel OF the Com
mercial Telegraphers union late in
the afternoon at which 1t was decided
TO present a demand to their employ
ers to-day for a contract for mini
mum weekly wage scale Of $50. The
Wall street chapel has about 800
members, all men who operate brok-
ers' leased wires in this and nearby
cities.
The other development was an offer
by NJ j. Reagan, mediator of the de-
partment of labor of the state of New
York to lend his good offices to bring
about a settlement Mr. Reagan called
on the officials Of both the big telc-
graph companies. General Supern-
tendent Brooks, Of the Western
Union, declared his company had
nothing TO arbitratc, and Mr. NaIly, Of
the Postal, made practically The same
reply. Joseph +. Ahcarn, president
of the local union. said ne had told
Mr.. Reagan that the operators were
perfectly willing to submit their case
TO sincere arbitration and would
readily appoint a man to act for them
II the companies would do the same.
Thus far the employers have given no
indication that they will do so,
General Superintendent Brooks, Of
the Western Union, said last night aG-
ter receiving late reports from all d.
visions:
The Western Union Is practically
on normal basis. We have enough
operators at work to man our whole
system and both commercial and
press matter is being sent with little
or no delay"
L. J. Nally, general manager OF the
Postal Co., said:
Il think the worst that can be said
of our system is that it Is slightly de-
ranged. We are not crippled any.
where and we have not been since
this strike began. There is not q
single Office Of our company but now
has on duty a force ample to handle
the present volume or trainC
Percy Thomas, deputy national
president OF the Telegraphers union,
said
"Twenty-six cities in the United
States and Canada struck Tuesday.
The situation is satisfactory in every
way TO the national officers. In New
York City the men are standing pat
and are unaffected by the statements
given out by the officials Of the COM
panles"
The Associated Press leased wires
were working last night as usual, The
entire force Of day operators in New
York office reported Tuesday morn
ing and remained at their keys until
late in the afternoon, when a special
order directing them 10 go out was
made by the president of the local
union, Three men obeyed the call