The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-21
Photographers Strike Settles
Down for a Long Siege.
Service of the Companies Is
Reported to Be Improving.
SMALL ASKS FOR AID.
Calls ON Unions for Fund Of
$2,OOO,OOO.
Starts Agitation for Govern
ment Ownership or Control.

]
| IelegrapherS' union declared TODAY that
| the strike had settled down to a matter
OF enGurance which, according to one of
lneIh, means test of finances Both
! companies today reported having added
10 the number of men at work
| Reports received from various sections
| OF the country last night showed that
poth the telegraph companies and the
associated Press were steadily improy-
| ing their service.
No assertions from the ranks of the
le al strikers were recorded yesterday
| The leaders profess confidence in their
| 2olllty to win the struggle. and they
make light of the claims of the com
| panfes that business is rapidly a pDroa CHI
| ing normal condition.
during the day President Small of the
telegrapherS' union issued a statement
| to the trade unionists of the country to
| Degln an active agitation in favor of
government ownership of the telegraph
lines to prevent the recurrence of an
other strike. To further this plan he
urged that one-half the funds collected
| during this strike be devoted to the fur
therance OF the campaign for govern
ment control of telegraph service
am more interested in trying to get
girls TO operate our new machines than
IN trying to get our former operators
| back to work. said w. l. Capen, super
intendent of the Postal company Mr.
Capen declined to say whether any Of
the strikers returned to work, but said
handle the business.
Press Service Improves.
Improvement in the business at the
offices of the Associated Press was re-
ported by Colonel c. s. Diehl, assistant
general manager. Colonel Diehl said
that the Toledo office was manned yes
terday for the first time since the strike
began and that two of the old employees
at Indianapolis returned to work. All
the offices throughout New England
a. 70 he full ID
carrying the normal business.
I'VE received 10000 words in the Chit
cago office up to 2:30 o'clock this after
noon," said Colonel Diehl, which is al
most normal business from the more i'm
portant news centers. On our west wire
to Denver every point is manned except
Peoria, ILL.,, and Lincoln, Neb. Our over
land wire to San Francisco is in good
working order. In Texas and the south
west our service is not as full as usual,
but is steadily improving. Our Ohio cir
cult, which embraces ten or twelve
cities, is complete with the exception of
Springfield and Canton. All our old men
in Ohio have returned to work except
in the two cities named, and we have
placed a new man in Canton
II had a talk with General Manager
Stone over the Iong-distance telephone,
and he informs me that the last vacancy
has been filed in New England The
statement that we were negotiating with
the strikers is incorrect. Mr.. Stone says
mittee of our own employees, but no
meeting of the board of directors was
called as announced by President Small
of the union"
SmaI1's Appeal for Aid.
The statement issued by President
Small urging an agitation in favor of
government control of telegraphers is
as follows:
ITO the Telegraphers of the United
States and Canada and Friends and
Advocates of Government Owner
ship of the Telegraph. Greeting:
After suffering untold abuse and
humiliation for more than 25 years the
men and women who depend for a
livelihood upon what they earn at their
chosen trade have at last thrown off
their shackles and are now engaged in
a life and death struggle for right and
Justice. The telegra ph officials have an
nounced it as their intention to starve
US into submission. We reply that we
will surely starve if need be rather than
return to work unless settlement of
the present trouble, satisfactory to US,
is reached.
In order to carry on an energetic
and successful strike We will need mon
ey and plenty of it. Therefore 1t is
proposed to start two funds-one a
strike benefit fund and the other a
government ownership of the tele-
graph fund.
1T must be apparent to all trade I'M
ionists and their friends that the pres
ent fight with the Western Union and
the Postal Telegraph companies is a
fight between labor and capital more
than between the commercial telegraph
ers and their employers.
ut should also appeal to the business
men of the country when we say to
them that we are sincere when we an
nounce that it is our desire and will
and also our aim to place the telegraph
system of this country under the con-
troll of the federal government at the
next session of congress, where 1t be-
longs, if that be possible. and thus re-
move the possibility of strikes in the
telegraph service in the future.
ITO trade unionists in general and
telegraphers in particular, we say
50. 900, 600 fund must be raised within
the next 60 days and a portion of it set
aside to be used to carry on campaign
in favor of the government taking over
control of the telegraph.
start two funds at once-one to be
used exclusively for the benefit of those
on strike and the other to be divided
equally-that is so per cent to go into
the strike expense fund and so per
cent into the government ownership
campaign fund.
instructions as to how to make re-
mittances, etc. will follow later.
IS. ]. SMALL, President"
1.-The reports from all over the coun-
try are extremely encouraging, said
President Small. There is not a tele-
graph center in the country which is
not hopelessly tied up. We have only
far there are no signs of weakening"
He Won't See Small.
New York, Aug. 21.-The striking
telegra pliers in this city today were
anxiously looking forward to Saturday
when President Small is expected to
arrive from Chicago. It was said at
union headquarters that the purpose
of President Small would be to en-.
deavor to bring about arbitration.
General Superintendent Brooks of the
western Union when asked today fr
he expected to consult with President
Small of the telegraphers union dur
ing Mr.. SmalPs visit here said that