The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-13
NEWS CUT OFF.
Associated Press Operators
Joined Force of Strikers
At the Expiration of Time
Limit in Ultfmatum.
NO SYMPATHY MOVE.
They Thought They Had
Grievances of Their Own.
Reply of Melville E. Stone to
Their Demands.
Superintendent of Postal Writes
Letter to Employees.
Service Partially Restored To-
dav af TOnaka and Elsewhere.
NO SYMPATHY MOVE.
They Thought They Had
Grievances of Their Own.
Reply of Melville E. Stone to
Their Demands.
Superintendent of Postal Writes
Letter to Employees.
Service Partially Restored To-
day at Topeka and Elsewhere.

In pursuance of their plan to force
an adjustment of their demands by
tying up commercial business and the
transmission of intelligence, the Com
mercial Telegraphers Union of Amer
lea crippled the news service of the
United States by calling out every
union man employed by the Asso-
ciated Press at 1880 o'clock last night,
after Melville E. Stone, manager of
the Associated Press. had pointed out
the impossibility of immediate com
pliance with their demands.
The men demanded:
Day work-Six days, eight hours
daily, $50 per week, and overtime and
extra at the rate of so cents per hour.
Night work-Six nights, eight
hours, S35 per week, and overtime and
extra al rate of 20 cents per hour.
The vacations 10 remain as at pres
proportionate increase for chiefs
and subchief operators
The telegraphers requested a reply
by 1880 o'clock last evening.
Stones Reply.
Mr.. Stones reply follows:
New York. Aug. 12 1907 To Oper-
ators:
I received this morning a com
municaticn from large number of
the operators in the service of the
Associated Press asking for changed
scale of wages and hours, and re-
questng a reply by half past o'clock
this evening
The changes involved are so radical
In their nature as to add over $780,
600 year, and probably more to the
expense of this organization. The As
sociated Press is mutual in its char.
acter. makes no profits and has no
surplus fund out of which such a sum
hA
must of necessity be levied back upon
the newspapers as a part of their
weekly assessments.
As general manager, I have no
power to make such an increase
either in salaries or assessments with
out authority from the board Of di-
rectors. and it is obviously impossible
to call this board together within the
time named. The board consists of
fifteen members scattered throughout
the entire country.
At the same time, acting under au-
thority heretofore granted me by the
board of directors. 1 shall be very glad
at any time to meet a COMMITTEES of
them respecting hours of service and
compensation with a view to making
some recommendation to the next meet
ing of the board of directors which
shall meet any fair or just expectations
OF those in our operating service
Even were free to act, I think you
must agree with me that a question of
this magnitude should not be pressed
to conclusion within the limits of a
few hours and without any opportunity
for consultation between myself and
representatives of our operating force.
MELVILLE E. STONE,
General Manager
The Strike Spreads
The strike of the telegraph operators
spread rapidly yesterday, the men walk
ing out in many cities in the east and
In nrIr
both Western Union and Postal COM
panies left their keys.
Other strikes during the day We're as
follows:
Western Union-Montgome Ala:
Savannah, Ga; Augusta, Ca; Des
Moines. Ia; Chattanooga. Tenn; Cleve-
land. Buffalo, Baltimore. Toledo, Co
lumbia, s. c.; Pittsburg, Washington.
Postal-Columbus, O.; Des Moines
Ia; Denver, Los Angeles. Salt Lake
City, Cleveland. Philadelphia, BuffaIo
Baltimore. Columbus. S. c.; Washing
The strike in Chicago did not spread
beyond the limits it had attained. The
union scale as favored by the operators
was presented to a number of brokers
during the day. The only strike in this
direction was that of two men en-
ployed by A. H. Nohe. They struck
because they were asked to handle
western Union market quotations.
During the day two of the largest
commission houses in the city signed
the scale presented by the operators,
also issued a call for a meeting of
representatives of other commission
houses to discuss measures of warding
off the trike
Arbitration advocates in the shane
of Secretary Easley of the National
civic Federation and Labor Com mis-
sioner Neill arrived in the city. but
their mission was made difffcult he
fore they arrived by the statemapts of /
superintendent Cook of the Wastarn
Union and Superintendent Canen of
the Postal company to the effect tbet
they would arbitrate nothing Secra-
tary Wesley Russell of the taIae-
raphers expressed himself in a sirniIer
manner.
Both companies announced that |
they viii treat with the cir men as indi-
v#duals. but declared they will not re-
ceive any delegations or any body of |
men representing the union. Secretarv
Russell said that the operators wouId |
not agree to arbitrate for the reason /
that the fight was already won. and it |
would be foolish for the men to throw
away the advantage they have gained 1
Mr.. Russell issued bulletin to the |
operators in which he declared that I
the fight was won and urging all mem |
bers of the union to stand firm for a /
few days longer. He reported the 1
strike IN all sections of the country as |
progressing favorably for the men.
Unanimous for Strike
The local unions of the operators
throughout the United States and Cam
Ada were voting on the question of or