The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-10
BIC FIGHT ON.
Telegraph Companies and EN-
plOyes to Go to a Finish.
The Postal Is Becoming In
v0lved in the Trouble.
SPREADING RAPIDLY,
Many More Local Unions Order
Out Their Members.
Various Statements Are Given
Out by Both Sides.

| New York, Aug. 10.-The Western
Union company will fight the strike of
| their operators in the western cities,
1 in the east or wherever the men may
go out. They expect to win, as they
claim to have won in 1888. A strike
| among the 5000 operators of Greater
| New York city is imminent, though
the sentiment among the employees is
said to be divided.
The foregoing is not an official an
nouncement but is an expression of
opinion concurred in both by men as
socia ted with the executive affairs of
the Western Union and representatives
of the Commercial Telegraph union.
The position taken by the company is
that the men have no substantial
grievance, but are in some instances
the willing and in other instances the
unwilling victims of the prevailing
social unrest"
A man who enjoys the confidence of
high officials of the, Western Union
said: 49, So
The men have no grievance. They
have the strike fever and the younger
element, which appears to be in con-
troll in the west and to which a period
of idleness would work no hardship,
is anxious for a showdown which will
test the strength of the organization
throughout the country. The COM
pany will fight. for surrender would
be suicidal. If the strike becomes
general, as it was in 1888. business for
a time will be hampered, as it was
then, but eventually the men will be
beaten. A strike in New York will
prove a different proposition from a
contest in the west. There the men
are generally younger than those en-
pIoyed here. In this city are many
operators who have reached the age
where their greatest efficiency is
thing of the past. Nevertheless they
are still taken care of by the COM
pany. These men do not and probably
should the strike fail. and they be
Obliged to return to work on their
merits as operators without regard to
their previous faithful service they
would be at serious disadvantage"
The Original Grievance.
On the other hand. it was pointed
out in union circles that the original
grievance against the company was in
this city and that 10 per cent of the
operators employed here are union
the moment a strike is ordered by ex-s
ecutive officials Of the union. A union
man said:
''The nine operators discharged
from the local Office last spring have
not yet been reinstated as we have
demanded. We purpose to see that
the company does as it has agreed to
do. We are prepared to quit work
mere upon INSTRUCTORS from the ma
tional officers. The strikes in the
west have, we understand, been the
result of directions from the local
unions of those cites. This will not
be the case here where orders from
the chief executive will be awaited.
We will not man wires. operated at
western ends by nonunion men who
include company chiefs and Clerks
None of the higher officials of the
Western Union would be quoted. In
reply to all inquiries the reply was,
mo comment to make"
Although the Postal Telegraph and
Gable company's men. are out at Chi
cago, the company does not consider
that it is involved except incidentally,
in the present trouble. Before the
Postal men went out in Chicago Vice
President Chas. c.. Adams said:
so far as our company is con-
cerned, there is no present or i'm
pending trouble. Whatever trouble |
may be pending between the Western |
Union company and its employees has |
not affected the Postal, and do not !
anticipate any difficulty, for the rea-
son that no grievances had been pre- |
sented and the men are working as
usual and business is going on as
subsequently the Postal people
added that the business at Chicago |