The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-08-17
Cannot BACK Down
KEYMEE's STRIKE PROMISES TO
BECOME UNIVERSAL.


Says Affairs Have Reached a
Stage Where a General Walk
out IL the Only Alternative.
Newspapers May Be Involved.
. Chicago, April lathe strike Of
the commercial telegraph operators
throughout the United States and Can
ada will be universal within "a hours,
according to- National Secretary Rus
sell, Of the telegraphers' organization.
This statement was made by Mr..
Russell after he had been informed OF
the action taken by the men in New
York, who, at meeting there yester-
day decided to hold a walkout in abey.
ance until the latter part of the week.
"This strike movement" said Mr..
Russell, ''has come to the point where
there can be no backing down. The
telergaphers have been trodden on
long enough by the companies, and
now that we have the opportunity we
are going to usa all our strength to en-
force our demands. For several weeks
President Small and myself have been
holding the telegraphers back and
have been advising Cancellation, but
they have taken matters into their own
hands and we are going to stand by
them. No union man will be allowed
to work with any one not belonging to
our organization, and this means that
tomorrow morning, when the business
of the week begins, the strike will be-
come universal.
No Halfway Measures
"We cannot 60 half way in this mat
ter now. The crisis has been precipi-
tated by the men themselves without
the sanction of the national officers,
but we are nov all working in unison
and anything that the officials Of the
various unions throughout the coun.
try have done in calling strikes meets
with our hearty cooperation.
This announcement was made by
Mr.. Russell at mass meeting Of the
striking telegraphers, held in Brands
hall in the afternoon. The hall seated
1900 persons and 80 great was the de-
mand for accommodations that several
hundred of the striking operators were
unable to gain admission to the build
ing and remained on the streets in the
vicinity until some Of the early arriv.
ais had left the hall. The Order of
Railway Telergaphers was represented
at the meeting by National Secretary
Quick. Mr.. Quick informed the strik-
ers that his organization was at their
disposal both morally and financially.
"We have 81, 600, 900 in our treas
ury," said he, ''and it is at your dis
posal. Your fight is ours and we will
stand with you until the end"
Leased Wire Men Involved
Before the mass meeting q meeting
Of the $40 union telegraphers employed
by companies using leased wires was
held. At this gathering. telegraphers
employed by brokers, news agencies
and commercial organizations, includ-
ing the big packing houses, we're pres
! emit. A resolution was adopted declar-
ing that this class Of labor was under
paid and that the various firms would
be asked to sign wage schedule and
also to employ none but union teleg-
raphers.
It was decide to let the private wire
men prepare and present their own
schedules to their employers. The
broker men will present their scale
this morning. The broker men will
ask for minimum Of $50 week.
The men employed by the press as
sociations presented their request at
1880 last night, and the employers will
be given "a hours to copmly with 1t.
The operators employed by the news
companies and newspapers in the day
time will ask for $50 q week and 60
cents overtime, eight hours to consti-
tute days work and the regular
lunch. These requests were presented
to every news gathering organization
in the United States and Canada yes
terday and "a hours will be allowed
for an answer. If at the end Of that
time the demands have not met with
a favorable response the men will re-
port to the union officials and they
say that strike will be ordered.
RAILROAD TELEGRAPHERS
| TO KEEP OUT Of fight
Los Angeles, Aug. al. G. Quick,
secretary Of the Order of Railroad
Photographers, is quoted here q deny.
ing there is any truth in the reports
that he has ordered the members Of
his organization not to transmit mes-
sages sent by the Western Union Tele-
graph Company over railroad wires.
District Superintendent +. 81. Lamb,
OF the Western Union, was consider
ably agitated by the statements pub
lished to the effect that the railroad
4 of<Hs. a. L.