The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-14
TO CONTINUE THE STRIKE Key Mems Union Holds Meeting. VIEW OF PRESIDENT SMALL He Still Insists That Strike Is
 Over.
VIEW OF PRESIDENT SMALL
Head of Union Says Treasury Is De- pleted and Advises Mea to Re-
 turn to work-A Clash May Result.

A'SW 4Ohhs OCt. lS.-ETesiooHt S. II. Small appeared confident today that the strike was at an end and hopeful that his men would be reinstated,
 The strike will be called off tomor- row and the men will be back to work" he said.
 win you give e word of advice to the men as to whether they should vote to call 1t of and seek reinstate- mentT" he was asked.
 T will cover that point at the meet ing today with the men in New York" he replied.
 The object in sending out my state- ment to the men yesterday was to put the question right up to them. Our resources are exhausted and if they want to continue the fight they will have to furnish the funds"
 Percy Thomas says you have s15,- GOO in the treasury" was suggested
 Tn whose treasury" asked MT. Small.
 ] we have sl5.ooo but not for strike uses. That Is mutual benent fund. for insurance. If we have money, why could not we pay off here yesterday7 But there is always talk of this kind at the end of every strike. I have been through about i've months of this. ever since the strike began in San Francisco last June. and 1t doesn't bother me any more. If Mir. Thomas wants to fight the calling off of the strike. let him do so: am going to that meeting today with brass knuck- les. Generally labor leaders advise each other to disregard the sufferings of their men. when q strike is on. but will not do that to the very last ditch We might hold out a couple of weeks longer on nothing but encourag- ing talk. but the result would be. that the men Of the weaker characters while the stronger men would hold out and suffer the most just because they were the most staupch. There would not De any union left"
 .swhat if the locals decline to eall 1t ofgr' he was asked.
 well. there will be nothing to do but keep up the fight as long as they ean, but 1t will be up to them to pro vide funds The strike was irregular from the beginning"
 Then the strike is hopeless and 1t might as well be abandonedf"
 That is it," replied MT. Small.
 Notwithstanding President Small's opinion that the strike Is hopeless. the telegraphers' union, at a meeting to- day, voted unanimously to continue the strike against the Western Union and Postal Telegraph companies.
 The vote was taken upon the sugges- ton of President Small, who in mes sages to subordinate officers yesterday, recommended that locals in the various cities vote upon the advisability of the men returning to work.
 The meeting was characterized by bitter exchange between President Small and the other speakers. The latter charged the national leader with inconsistency in first claiming that the strike would be successfully financed, and yesterday admitting that the gem eral assembly was without funds; and with having conducted the light in a half-hearted. diiatory way.
 Small tried to explain his position, but was frequently interrupted by misses. When he suddenly left the hall in the midst of the speech mak- ing, cries of resign" followed him. Tonight Small issued a statement. in which he said he was willing to con tinue the strike if the men insisted
 When the meeting opened. President Small was given the floor and said:
 '"I am not here to make an arRu- ment for or against continuing the strike, but merely to explain why called for a vote of the locals on the Saturday, Commissioner Neiil informed me that President Glow cry had told him that further neRo- tiations were futile. believed what they said. Our funds are quite ex- hausted. As you know we were unable to make a payment to you yesterday. There are no more in sight. These are the facts, you can do as you will
 Percy Thomas, former National Dep uty. followed Small, saying that the latter had said when the strike be- gan that he could raise $2.000,000 to support it. Small, he said. had asked him thirty days ago to send out the word, mo funds" but the speaker re- fused. He continued:
 President Small has utterly neglect ed to properly approach the subject of raising money and now he comes bee fore you and tells you that we have no more money. This strike cannot be lost if we have a leader. Q national president with any ability"
 There were cheers for Thomas. ana as Small rose to reply. shouts of "rss sign." greeted him.
 q have no intention of resigning." he said when he could be heard. "To resign is the last think that I will do and I want to tell you that personal attacks on me won't get you bread and butter.
 As for assessments of other labor organizations, want to tell you what they amount to. The Order of Rail- road Photographers with a membership of 10000. was assessed at first S2 then S1 and has turned in about SS2,0OO. From the 27.O00 locals of the Amerl- can Federation of Labor, we have received about $25,0o0. I have come here to state facts and to tell you of your position. Do what you will''
 As Small sat down. Daniel Russell. chairman of the local Board of Strat- egy, sprang to his feet
 up to last night" he said. this was SmalPs strike and up to last night he did everything he could to lose 1t. To- day it Is your strike. Keep 1t up and win. He alone brought on the strike, and now he Is trying to repudiate 1t. Other speakers followed in similar vein, after which the resolutions de- claring that the strike be continued, and calling upon the National Execu- tive Committee to remit at once S3,000. the New York locals share in the gem eral treasury, and requesting the ap- propriation of the insurance fund for strike purposes, were adopted.
 Tn his statement tonight. President Small says that in his recent recom- mendation, he merely wished the To-