Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-08-28
small SAYS STRIKE !.
HAS Crippled Wires
coNTRADlcTS RoSEATE STATE.
MENTS BEING MADE BY THE
HEADS OF COMPANIES,
ONLY ONE-FOURTH
BUSINESS is DONE
Of This He Says IS Per Cent. 10
Being Carried On Through the
Mails-Ready for Only the Right
Kind OF Mediation.

Chicago, Aug. 23.-President S. J.
Small of the Commercial Telegraph
ers' union gave out statement giving
an estimate of the business transact
ed by the Western Union and the
Postal Telegraph companies. He de.
clared that his figures were obtained
from reliable sources. He said: 1--WE
have discovered that the telegraph
companies are doing about Is per cent
of their normal business. Ten per cent
of this is being transacted over wires
and the remaining Is per cent is done
by recourse to the mails and express
companies.
Calls Situation Favorable.
'The situation from our standpoint
could not be much more favorable.
l am gathering reports that will be
submitted to committees representing
the government on a visit I am max
ing Saturday to New York. have de-
cided to leave here Saturday afternoon
for New York and return to Chicago
the end of next week. In New York
l shall address a mass meeting of the
striking operators there I shall say
nothing more about arbitration.
Arbitration Talk Made Weakness.
Several of the newspapers have dis.
torted my statements to such degree
as to make arbitration talk sign of
weakness on our part We all realize
that If the right sort of arbitration is
offered we will consider it. Fair arbi-
tration to settle disputes should be
accepted by every one
The companies have no wires as
far west as San Francisco, none far
Their north than ST.. Paul and not far.
ther south than Louisville. Almost
the entire south is cut off,
Posta's Individual Contract.
The Postal Telegraph company has
adopted form Of individual contract
between employer and employee. This
contract, which is interpreted by the
strikers to be shaft directed at the
union, must be signed before witness
es by every operator seeking employ
ment before he can start to work. It
reads as follows:
Il hereby agree, if given employ
ment by the Postal Telegraph Cable
company, to render full and faithful
service at all times, refraining from all
agitation and interference with the
company's business, and I further
agree that l will work carefully and
we'll with every operator, be he union
or nOn-uniOn''
Strikers Get Money.
The f1rst payment of money to the
strikers was made Wednesday. but it
did not take the form of regular bene-
hts. Small sums were handed ont
quietly to those in need, which is all
the relief the union expects to give
until financial assistance is rendered
by outside unions.
The ball game at Logan square re-
suited in netting the strike fund 81, 900.
according to the statement of Secre.
tary Wesley Russell. The joint unions
OF cigarmakers will meet tonight and
will vote moral and financial supnort
to the operators.
Both Sides Satisfied.
Representatives of the telegram
companies and of the telegraph
ers' union asserted that thew
were satisfied with the sitna.
ton in the telegraphers' strike. Su.
perintendent Belvidere Brooks, of the
western Union Telegraph company
was asked the possibility of arbitra.
ton If Labor Commissioner Neiu
should come to New York. He re-.
Piled that he did not see what Mr.
Neill could do. The company. he said
would have no dealings with the
union or its officers as such.
Leaders of the strikers declared
that their reports from all over the
country were encouraging them to re-
main on strike. Secretary Russell de-
clared that the business of both com.
panles south of Baltimore was prac-
tically dead, and again complained
that the companies were using the
mails to transport their messages.
70 Organize Clerks and MESSENGERS.
A call has been issued to the tele-
graph clerks and messengers Of
Greater New York asking them to at.
tend meeting ON Sunday, the pur-
pose OF which is to organize these en-.
p?oyes into a union,