The San Francisco call., 1907-06-25
MaCkay Says Telegraphers
Strike Must Be Broken
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The following cabIegram was re-
ceived yesterday by storror from clar-
ence Il. Mackay. president of the Postal
telegraph company:
While deeply regretting the situation, feel
that in abandoning their posts were
Unmindful and needless OF their duty to the
public and the company and guilty of most
unWaTranteo action We shall take a firm stand
IN dealing with the situation and we are de-
termined TO win regardless of cost With this
IN view, 1 hereby approve and confirm the in
sUructiOns given you by the general manager. and
ID addition thereto you are authorized TO say 10
our loyal men who stand by US in our difficulty:
'.An operators viii be paid their regular
salary a bonus and their services VIII be
computed as extra on the basis OF seven hours
per day or night"
Where you deem it wise to do so you may also
furnish free meals and lodging until we return
10 our normal condition.
also wish to impress upon you that you
should afford them every protection ana eseIy
comfort. We don't desire them 10 WORK unauy
long hours. or uninterrupteoly. While ANXIOUS
to move the traffic, we DO not wish IL done az
the expense o. tne neailn q & pu- - al, Of
have not already done so, nope yop wiz - -
once serve written notice upon an those Nno
abandoned their posts that unless lney SSH
consider them out OF sour employ. Please ac-
cept for yourself and convey to- other ofnclals
and managers who are assisting YOU IN tuIs S sooo
H1S zeal With wbich they have responded. 1
have their names and viii keep al In personal
i-el-0''' CLARENCE H. MAcKAY.
WILL, APPEAL TO WASHINGTON
National President Small of the
telegraphers' union announced yester-
dav afternoon that he would ask the
aid Of the United States government
IN the settlement of the strike. He said
he would appeal to President Roose-
welt and members Of the cabinet to In
tercede on the ground that transaction
Of business of national Importance was
being interfered with because of the
strike President Small asserted that
when Investigations were made by the
president and the cabinet officials 1t
would be learned that the striking
telegraphers were in no wise to blame
for the strike. He said further that
he wanted the companies officials and
representative operators actually en-
ployed by the company to decide when
normal conditions were restored. He
continued:
The company has taken It upon itself to de-
ride when the normal conditions have been re-
stored. but want the operators to have as
much 70 say IN the matter as the employers.
Tie strike situa tion remains unchanged We
have ordered about 80 picket men TO spy around
the telegraph companies and we VIII use per-
suasive power TO keep operators from going 70
work il they End any.
The railroad telegraph operators are willing
90 aid US with $50 600 If needed. and large
amounts are coming from the eastern telegraph
unions who sympathize with Us in the strike.
The strikers should not be afraid TO come up and
ssk the financial committee for aid II they
need e. The strikers are to receive money on
the regular pay days. If they remain out for
six months they viii receive the pay just the
same
TIE operators who are out on strike have been
asked Co watch both companies, which are mall
ing teiecrans from different points detrimental
Io The interest OF the strike.
U'e ere willing 10 meet the employers Of the
7r-Tauies ar any un2e- What we want Is
= rer ront increase in wages We are
--catsr power r5an the western Union telegraph
company aud the Postal Telegraph company
-c1.5iled. These companies could not bear IN
fcsf i-ati0l.
q the strike lasts too long we viii ask the
United States eoTernment and the mayor OF
Oakland 10 intcrcede. There has been much
s-.tatlOn against trusts and telegraph CON-
aa.ies recently.
STRIKERS ARE CONFIDENT
Everything was quiet at the Oak
land headquarters Of the commercial
telegraphers' union yesterday. The
strikers feel confident they will win
and DO not expect the strike to last
long. President Small made the fol-
lowing additional statement last night:
The companies are in very crippled condi-
tiaa today Our pickets bring in reports that
lie Western Union is sending business across
4 p bay in satches by messenger boys. By
"Wednesday with the force the companies
lave at work now. there viii be worse con-
reStun OF telecr8ms in san Francisco than
rtore IS Of freight cars between here and
Slofks Nev. The business simply cannot be
=. Yrcd over tie wires with the force that is at
work and there Is IirtIe hope that a large addi-
tioa can De made 90 II until the strike is set
tifi and rhe old employees return 10 work.
There are about 10000 positions in the COM
mcuciai service in this country and less than
-lf+o commercial telegrapkers TO ill them. For
years II has been necessary for the telegraph
companies TO force extra service upon their
~. are gradually educating our members TO the
principle ~ eight hours work eight hours sleep
and eight hours for recFes ton. with the result
tl2t there Is less desire now to work long
hrr-s lan formerly.
President Clarence Mackay of the Postal
Telegraph company las sent out a duplicate OF
President C-oTry letter. informing the Postal
ope-1t0rs of san Francisco that his company
and ilstructing Superintendent Storror TO afford
them every protection and every comfort" A
message u tnat kind would have been well
come from Mr. Aackay at the time the Postal
operators were working night and day and
sleeping wherever lhey could find a place 10
lay their heads, while. TO the credit of the
+ Western Union. they provided every comfort
during the first trying weeks Of the disaster.
provide comforts for the Postal telegraph com
p2nys strike breakers is that tie Mackay in
terests have been pooled and Mr.. Clarence
MsckaT has given the management Of the Pos
tal company over 10 others. These new infu-
ences in the company have yielded to the wishes
OF me western Union ana entered INTO an
agreement 70 break Up the union.
The attitude Of Clarence Meckay toward his
teleeraphers is in great contrast TO that of his
h0nored old father who when General Superin-
teadclt Parker suggested that the salaries Of
emploves could be reduced told Parker 10 start
on himself and see bow he liked il.
The Western Union and Postal having got to-
gether in s trade and offensive and defensive
agreement ! presume we may look for long
drawn out hgEt That Is not worrying US. how
ever, we know absolutely where we stand.
We are = per cent organized ell over the coun-
try and the railroad teiezraphers are stronger
than We are. We are adopting entirely new
tactics IN carrying our strike. We may
change these tactics any day, and nobody but
the executive head Of the organization VIII
know from day 10 day where and when the
teleeraphers VIII be called out.
Personally. I regret very much that the
efforts OF Labor Commissioner Neill to adjust
our grievances with President Clowry were not
more successful. However. IL Mr.. Neiu was
outgeneraled by By. Clowry IL is no fault of
ours. The strongest point brought out IN the
alleged settlement WAS that Mr. CioWry con-
siders the Western Union corporation more
powerful than the United States government.
The strike applies only to the Western Union
and Postal companies. We have given strict
orders 10 al members to make every effort to
keen the private wires. such brokerage wires,
cnH rr-f~e .