The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-08-13
THE STRIKE EXTENDS
New York TeIegraphers Close
Their Keys and Walk Out.
ASSOCIATED PRESS MEN QUIT

Employees In Western Union and
Postal Main and Branch Offices Strike
at SisnaI-Federation of Labor Will
Support Locked Out Men.
New York, Aug. 13.-Cutting New
York off from communication with
most of the cities in other parts of the
country, more than a thousand tele-
graph operators employed by the
Western Union and Postal companies
here closed their keys and joined the
strike of telegraphers which has swept
rapidly over the country in the last
few days. The men walked out with
out orders from either the national or
local officers and despite the vote of
the local taken on last Sunday after
noon that the union men here would
wait till Friday noon to see whether
Labor Commissioner Neill could settle
the trouble in Chicago
Whistles blown by the union chap
lains in the main offices of both COM
panies were the signals for the walk
out. AS if electrified by the shrill
sounds men and women flashed the
news the strike to those at the other
end their wires and then left the
Offices sith cheer.
Though the officers of the local union
realized that trouble might come any
momnpt, the news of the walkout rath-
er 81 brised them. They had relied on
the e of the mass meeting on Sun
day rhold the men in check till nego-
tiations in Chicago were under way.
But when the local officers saw they
had the strike on their hands they
made haste to sanction the action of
the men who abandoned their keys.
When the striking operators flocked to
the local headquarters the officers i'm
mediately sent out committees to get
the operators in the smaller offices out
Supported by National Body.
Within three hours the strike extend
notice was sent out to all members Of
the union:
THE national body and local officers
and members will support every man
and woman who joined in the walkout
from the various offices throughout
Greater New York. Go to your homes
and remain quiet. Commit no acts OF
violence. We have won already. Right
and justice are on our side. The public
is with you"
AS soon as c. Wesley Russell, ma
tional secretary of the union, who is
in charge of the strike in Chicago,
heard Of the walkout here he sent the
following telegram to President Ahearn
Of the local:
New York's action is perfectly legal
and is fully sanctioned by the national
body. Stand firm and under no circum-
stances return to work unless officially
ordered to do so. Now that we have
New York, all points are solid as a
rock. Many union contracts have been
signed here with brokers and press as
sociations. Chicago is absolutely closed
up. No strike breakers have yet ar
rived. We have the battle won"
With few exceptions, and these for
the most part chiefs, the operators OF
the Associated Press went on strike
when their demands for more money
were refused by President Melville e
Stone, general manager. The demands
were: For day work, six days week
of eight hours each at $50 week.
overtime to be paid for at the rate OF
60 cents per hour, and night work, the
same number Of nights and hours al
the rate of $50 week, with overtime
at the rate of So cents an hour, vaca.
tons to remain as at present
A dispatch from Chicago quotes Pres
ident Samuel Gompers OF the American
Federation Of Labor as stating that his
organization will stand by the strikers
and give them its heartiest support