The Washington herald., 1907-09-26
KEY MEN CALLED OUT
Leased Wire Operators Are
Asked TO Quit Work.
RAILROADS NEXT AFFECTED
Leaders Oppose Breaki * OF Con-
tracts and Fear Result of Move.
Many of the Men Involved viii
Decline to Obey Instructions.
One MOke Hope Remains.

New York. Sept 25.-Apparently ignor-
ing the fact that the operators in the
newspaper and brokers' offices are the
largest contributors 10 the local strike
fund Of the tclegraphers. the resolution
10 call out the operators on all leased
wires in the district controlled by Local
No. lG, OF the Commercial Telegraphers
Union. regardless Of existing contracts.
which was brought up on Sunday and Ia
bled till yesterday, was carried tonight
at a closed mass meeting Of the local in
Clinton Hall
The motion calls on all the leased wire
operators to quit work. subject to the ap-
provaI of President Small. and the ma
tionaI executive committee Of the teleg-
raphers would be apprised by telegraph
OF the decision. and it was so decided to
ask them TO order out all the leased wire
men throughout the United States.
The meeting was a large one. and the
operators in favor Of the resolution were
out in force and prepared to jam it
through.
II the strike order meets with the ap-
proval of the national officers. and goes
into effect, the rules of the union will
make it binding on all, but what the
Wall street operators may do is still
question. The Wall street chapel viii
have a meeting at Clinton Hall to-mor-
row. at which the matter will come up.
Most of the Wall street men who have
twice decided against striking are Op-
posed TO the strike still
They may decide to ignore the order.
Fear TO Break Contracts.
The operators under contract in the
newspaper offices are also averse to
breaking contracts. Many of them said
tonight that if they went out at all they
would like to see first if the men on the
Hearst News Service would obey the or
der.
The supporters Of the resolution were
uproariously applauded at to-day's meet
ing, while those who spoke against it
were either listened to in silence or
Kissed.
Joseph F. .Ahearn, who presided, read
a telegram from President Small. in which
Small said that both he and the execu-
tive committee were not in favor of any
strike which involved the violation of
agreements. Some of the supporters Of
the resolution said they doubted the
authenticity Of the telegram, but were
assured that Il was genuine, and came
over a broker wire
Andrew Safer, a Socialist, who intro
duced the same motion on Sunday, was
the mover Of it to-day. He urged its
\ passage as the best thing to be done, and
according to the press report which was
furnished after the meeting, did not say
anything radical He was received with
frantic applause, and was followed by
Chester L. Hall. chairman of the Wall
street chapel. who was Kissed when he
said there was a sentiment among the
Wall street operators against striking.
The kissing was put a stop to by the
chairman. but Halls remarks were not
| popular.
John G. McClosky. Of the Hearst News
Service. also advised the telegraphers to
go slow, and said that contracts entered
before the strike should be lived up to.
Russell FavOrs Strike.
Chief -Srateglst Russell. who opposed
the strike Of the leased wire men on Sun
day very strongly. stayed with the tide
to-day, and made a speech of half an