The Washington times., 1907-08-22
SMALL
MEANS
FIGHT
His Arbitration Talk
Distorted, He
Declares.

CHICAGO, Aug. 22.-President S.
]. Small, of the Commercial Teleg
raphers' Union, gave out a state
ment today giving an estimate
of the business trapsacted by the
Western Union and Postal Tele-
graph Companies. He declared that
his figures were obtained from re-
liable sources. He said:
eve have discovered that the tele-
graph companies are doing about 25
per cent of their normal business.
Ten per cent of this is being trans
acted over wires and the remaining
IS per cent is done by recourse to
the mails and express companies.
In New York Next Week.
THE situation from our standpoint
could not be much more favorable.
am gathering reports that will be sub
mitted to committees representing the
Government on a visit I am making
Saturday to New York I have de-
cided to leave here Saturday afternoon
for New York and return to Chicago the
end OF next week.
In New York shall address a mass
meeting of the striking operators there.
shall say nothing more about arbitra-
ton.
Several OF the newspapers have dis
torted my statements TO such a degree
as 10 make arbitration talk a sign OF
weakness on our part. We all ressize
that II the right sort OF arbitration is
offered, we will consider II. Fair arbi-
tration to settle disputes should be ac-
cepted by everyone.
South Is Cut Of.
The companies have no wires as far
west as San Francisco. none farther
than ST. Paul. and not farther south
than LouievilIe Almost the entire
South is cut on"
The Postal Telegraph Company has
adopted a form OF individual contract
between employer and employee This
I contract. which is interpreted by the
strikers TO be a shaft directed at the
union. must be signed before witnesses
by every operator seeking employment
before he can start to work.
1t reads as follows:
II hereby agree. II given employment
by the Postal Telezraph-Cable Com
pany. to render full and faithful service
at all times. refraining from all agita-
t.on and interference with the COM
pany's business. and I further agree
that I viii work carefully and we'll with
every operator. be he union or non
union.
President Small said, further, that he
thought the public did not. perhaps. un-
derstand the real grievances and de-
mands cf the striking operators.
''Our demands of Importance are" he
said, ''an eight-hour day; equal pay for
equal work. as between men and wo-
men; IS per cent Increase In wages:
cor. .panies TO furnish typewTiters; abo-
lition OF the black list.
Steadily Reduced Wages.
I'm the matter of wages" he con-
tinued, I'VE claim the companies have.
by system Of grading steadily re-
duoed wages for the past twenty-five
years. IN an Office like Chicago. junior
operators are started az SIS per month,
and work for nine to twelve hours per
day. While the maximum wage paid
In Chicago is $50 per month, very few
get this, and the pay averages about $50
per month. In a city like Cleveland the
average will be about SO per month.
We claim this is far too little for
skilled men. many of them with families,
to live on during the present period OF
high prices.
No Tests Of Skill.
''It is almost impossible for an opera
tor in q low grade to get into a higher
grade without throwing up his JOB and
going to another city. There are no
tests OF skill or any other standard by
which grades are fixed. It has all de-
pended upon the local manager who
could make better showing in. ex-
penses BY keeping men In the low grade.
'The experience Of Secretary Russell,
OF the Telegraphers' Union. is typical.
He began in Chicago as a junior at $50
per month By throwing up his Job and
going to Rockford, he got $40 per month.
He returned TO Chicago and managed to
get $50. With still another move to
Topeka. he managed 10 make $40 per
month, and finally returned 70 Chicago
at SO. Such a system puts a premium
on tourists and works against the
steady married man who settles down
in one town
How would you fx grades?" was
asked
Capacity of Wire.
Various suggestions have been made
about this. such as a rising scale Of
years of service as is done in the case
Of railway teiegraphers or examinations
at certain intervals to test the fitness Of
applicants. We believe, however, the
best way would be to pay according
to the capacity Of the wire to which
the operator is assigned. Grades could
easily be fixed OF so much for a man