The Washington herald., 1907-08-17
KEY MEN JUBILANT
Hope to See Their Ranks
Swelled To-day.
SMALL,s GENERAL ORDER CAUSE
believe Union Men VIII walk Ont
Since Call Comes from Headquhr-
ters - Companies Deny Business
VIII BE Further Injured-Deelare
They Can Handle All Traffic.

Fortified by President Smalrs executive
order calling a general telegraph strike
the local belligerents claim that by noon
to-day they will present their strongest
front to the telegraph companies and SO
cripple them as to make the sending OF
kilograms from Washington difficult
matter.
The strikers claim that there are many
men in the Western Union Office who are
proud of their union cards and who will
join the men who have left their keys
as soon as they see the order issued by
the International president.
These men are said to be remaining at
work on the pretext that they have not
yet been assured that President Small
desired the strike, but as the order has
arrived. the union officials are confident
that immediate results Will follow. If the
union men do not answer the call Of
President Small. it is said that they
will forever bar them from the ranks
of organized labor and treat them In the
same discourteous way that they treat
'scabs."
To all the union operators who are still
az work, President Groves. Of the local
union, addressed personal letters. in
closing a copy of President SmalTs order
and asking them TO join the strikers
while others were approached by union
pickets, and Il Is claimed that several
gave assurances that they would not
work after to-day.
Companies Deny Injury.
Both telegraph companies, however,
claim that the general order has had abso-
Iutely no effect on them; that there have
been no more defectons 10 the ranks of
the strikers, and that there Is no prospect
Of any more. They insist that the strike
has failed, and that if the men hold out
for the rest Of their lives the business of
the telegraph companies viii go on as be-
fore.
Mr.. Bresnahan, assistant manager Of
the Postal Telegraph Company. said: 81
am certain that the general order viii
/ have no effect on the situation in general
I know il viii not affect our company,
and am likewise certain that IL cannot
change the situation in Washington,
which Is perfectly satisfactory 10 US. The
strikers have struck their worst blow.
which was on the day of the walk-out
and they have accomplished nothing
An the men Of our company here or
elsewhere who Will go out have gone out.
Ii is impossible that general strike or
der at this late date can take any more
men from US I believe that the end of
the strike is not far or.
Business Light mt Present.
The business at this season Of the year
is light here, as a rule, and We have had
more men at times than we could use. AT
present there are many men sitting idle
at their wires. We have the capacity to
handle much more business than is going
over the wires. BY the beginning OF next
week. we viii be IN shape to handle
any amount OF business, and the same re-
ports are coming from all over the coun-
try. There IS no danger that we will be
tied up, as the strike came at the very
best time for us
That there are a number OF men at
work IN the Western Union office there
seems no reason 10 doubt, as a Washing
ton Herald reporter saw between thirty
Z
besides several others who were standing
around. The usual night force Of the
Western Union was between thirty and
forty, according to the amount of bust
ness and unless. as the strikers claim.
some Of these are dummies. the company
should be capable of sending the usual
number Of messages from here, provided
the wires in other sections Of the coun-
try are pTOperlv manned
The Western Union Company claims
/ that II can reach any point in the coun-
/ try IN reasonable time, and that the
| only delay which might occur comes in
other towns,
Dummies, Say Strikers.
The strike leaders explain the number
/ Of men in the companies Offices by say
ing that many OF them are merely dunn
mics. and have no knowledge Of even the
rudiments Of telegraphy
/ The Postal company has also made a
slight increase in the number OF its
forces, due probably to the addition OF
| several nonunion men and the volunteer
! services Of old operators who have been
long friends Of Manager Prosser. Thir-
teen operators represent the day force. be-
sides the manager, who is an expert on
the keys: while, according to several un-
lprejudiced persons who have visited the
/ Postal room at night. there are seven
men at the keys.
/ At the Associated Press offices, nine
men are said to be at work; five in the
daytime and four at night This number
is generally conceded by the strikers,
who claim that the Associated Press has
! almost enough men in this city to send
/ the reports, but that there is nobody in
other places 10 receive them. The strik-
eTs claim that all the Southern wires are
practically useless, only Richmond. with
one operator, being served with any de-
! gree Of security.
/ In answer to this, the manager of the
! association says that the wires are all
working, and that his papers are all be-
/ ing served, as can be determined by the
/ fun reports appearing in all the South
| ern Associated Press papers. He's
/ that the general strike order VIII work
no change in the condition. and that he
can safely say that the Associated Press
was never in difficulty, and has wealth
/ cred the storm.
Four bureaus Affected.
/ Four newspaper bureaus in the city
have been affected by the general or
der All Of them, however, have closed
down their wires. and are depending on
! the telegraph companies and the mails
/ to get their reports away. Many OF the
| correspondents say that the greater por-
| ton Of their reports arrive In time for
their papers, if filed early, but that they
often are told that the matter will be
sent only subject to delay.
! Two brokers' offices are threatened with