Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-08-27
ROOSEVELT may LEND AID
REPORT PRESIDENT MAY HELP
IN STRIKE SETTLEMENT.
Miss Helen Gcula said to Have Hark.
ened to Plea OF Women
Operators.

Chicago, Aug. 26.-It was reported
around headquarters of the striking
telegraph operators just before the
departure of President S. ]. Small for
New York that the strike leader has
been called from Chicago for con-
ference with President Roosevelt and
Labor Commissioner Neill.
Just whom President Small is to
meet in New York he refuses to say.
"My visit" he said lis to meet per-
sons of national prominence with
whom will discuss the possibility Of
arbitrating the telegraphers' strike.
! cannot say anything further"
Helen Gould May Interpose.
1t is also reported in Chicago that
Miss Helen Gould had hearkened to
the plea of the woman telegraph OPP
orators to use her influence to bring
the struggle to an end.
Some secret but forcefnl influence
is at work in New York to bring
about an adjustment of the difficult
ties, according to advices received
at the headquarters of the Commercial
| Photographers union in Chicago, and
that influence is believed to be some
of the stockholders who are said to
be uneasy over threatened decrease
in dividends.
1t is considered significant that this
report comes on the day that Presi-'
dent Small of the union leaves for
New York, and while he protests that
he knows nothing of any peace move
ment, asserting that his trip Is one.
merely of investigation, it Is held that
there is more than coincidence in
the two events.
Small Plays SIeuth.
President Small, commanding the
striking members of the Commercial
Photographers union in their fight
against the Western Union and Postal
Telegraph companies, paid an unofi-
cial visit to the buildings of the wire
corporations at night to satisfy him
self personally as to existing condi-
tons in the operating rooms of the
1 two offices. His visit was unheralded
and he says it produced proof that as
sertions that the telegraph companies
are handling their business expedi-
tiously and satisfactorily are exag-
gerated. President Small was accom-.
panied by Mrs. Small on his nocturnal
call.
Officials of the two companies ad
mitted that the strike leader had
gained entrance to the buildings not
withstanding the presence of numer-
Gus guards, but denied that Mr.. Small
had obtained complete knowledge of
the situation.
Small Issues Challenge.
| President Small several days ago is.
sued challenge asking the wire 6fi-
| Gals to permit committee of bust
ness men to Investigate the conditions
in the operating rooms of the two
companies. This request was refused
by Mr.. Cook and ignored by the Postal
head, he declared. Mr.. Smalls desire
to see for himself induced him to en-
list the services of Mrs. Small in the
effort to penetrate the Gordon Of police
and Pirkertons stationed at the ele-
yators and doors of the telegraphers,
room in the two buildings.
Mr.. Small said: The first place Wis
tied was the Associated Press, where
we found six persons in the operating
room, four of them telegraphers.
From there we went to the Postal
Telegraph building and took the ele-
vator to the tenth floor and went i'm
lmediately into the operating room.
While l engaged the timekeeper in
onyersation Mrs. Small counted the
number of persons in the room. In
Guiding check clerks and officials there
were just IA. This was at 1890 a. m.
The normal force at this hour is
about IS.
|, Western Union Is Visited.
| From the Postal we went to the
Western Union We had no difficulty
\ in gaining entrance to the building.
Taking the elevator to the niAth floor
we went at once into the ninth-foor
operating room, where we found one
boy and one man. The place was in
semi-darkness. Going to the tenth
floor by the stairway we found no diff
] uSully III duu1lCIdACS. On In0
| tenth floor we found "a persons on
duty. This includes clerks and off,
Gals"
Labor Asks Federal Wire Rule.
Norfolk, Va, Aug 26.-The execu.
tive board of the American Federation
of Labor, in session here, has decided
to ask President Roosevelt and CON
gress to Investigate the cost OF buying
the telegraph lines for government
ownership.
1 Coast Pirates at Work.
Seattle, Wash. Aug. 26.-The au-
thorities here are nonplussed by the
operations Of Sound pirates, who are
working not only in the city, halt also
at the beaches and summer resorts in
the vicinity. Vessels lying at the
wharyes are frequently robbed, and SO
smoothly is the work done that no
clew is found by which the guilty ones