Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-22
WANTS GOVERNMENT OWNER
SHIP OF TELEGRAPH LINES
SAYS STRIKERS ARE NOT
WEAKENING
LEASED WIRE MEN
OUT IN CHICAGO
ASSOCIATED PRESS CLAIM THAT
MANY OPERATORS HAVE RE.
TURNED TO WoRk-BRokER.
AGE OFFICES SUFFER

Chicago, Aug. 20.-New develop
ments are coming thick and fast in
the telegraph strike situation. Nu-
merous small breaks are reported in
the ranks of the strikers in various
cities over the country, and while the
lumber of men who have returned to
work is not large compared with the
number of operators who are still
maintaining a firm attitude, the de-
serters from the strikers ranks, have
appreciably increased the ability Of
the companies to transact business.
Several operators for the Associated
Press have returned to work.
The chief act in the strike yester-
day was the issuance of bulletin by
President S. J. Small of the CONNER
cial Telegraphers' union, urging gov
eminent control in the United States
and Canada for the telegraph lines of
The Western Union and Postal COM
panies aud also a government investi-
cation into the affairs of the COM
panies relative to the conduct toward
the union.
The leased wire men In this city
also struck yesterday This ties up
practically all the brokerage offices
in Chicago. The order to the cable
operators in the various stations on
the seaboard of this country by Pres
ident Shall, for walk-out. has been
rescinded, in order to avoid interna-
tional complications.
Government Ownership of Lines.
Government ownership of the lines
Of telegraph was raised as the slogan
Of the national telegraph strike.
President Small issued a circular
letter to all the chapels OF the Com
mercial Telegraphers' union and to
the Federation of Labor all over the
United States, declaring that half of
the $40 100000 fund which labor has
undertaken to roll up for the winning
of this strike would be reserved for
national agitation in favor Of the
government ownership of the tele'
graph lines.
SmalFs Government Control Bulletin
The full text of President Small's
government control bulletin is as
follows:
ITO the Telegraphers Of the United
States and Canada. and Friends ant
Advocates OF GOV8TneuLdl oWu0lSuli
of the Telegraph Greeting: After
suffering untold abuses and humilia
ton for more than twenty-five years
the men and women who depend 70
a livelihood upon what they earn a
their chosen trade, have at las
thrown off their shackles, and ar,
now engaged in life and death slug
gle for right and justice. The tele
graph officials have announced it a
their intention to starye US into sub
mission We reply that we will sure
~ starve if need be, rather than re
turn to work unless settlement q
the present trouble, satisfactory t
us. is reached.
"Ia order to carry on an energeti
and successful strike we will nee
money and plenty of it. Therefor
it is proposed to start two funds-on
a strike benefit fund and the other
government ownership of the tell
graph fund
ut must be apparent to all trad
unionlsts and their friends that tn
present fight with the Western Unto
and the Postal Telegraph companie
is fight between labor and capit'
more than between the commerce;
telegraphers and their employers.
ut should also appeal to the bus
ness men Of the country, when "
say to them that we are sincere wha
we announce that 1t is our desire ar