Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-08-12
TOday's Telegraphic News.
The Telegrapherp strIke.

4
Gompers, OF the American Federation
of Labor, says the entire federation will
its $500, 900 members and millions o.
dollars of funds is behind the operation
and will aid them to win victory in
the strike of telegraphers which has
been precipitated. Gas to the merits OF
the operators strike / know nothing, y
said Gompers, "but the action has had
the sanction of their executive commit
tee and national officers, and that
removes from the scope OF the inquiry
any investigation into Its merits. We
assume that an affiliated organization
which has legslized a strike has just
grievances and, adhering 10 labor union
principles, We are determined to give
the operators our fall support"
President Gompers, of the American
Federation of Labor, who arrived from
Des Moines, will confer with Secretary
Essley, of the National Civic Federation;
United States Labor Commissioners Neill
and President Small, of Commercial
Telegraphers, Thursday morning.
The operators declare they do not
wish arbitration of any sort and will end
the strike only when the companies
grant their demands.
There is said to be no immediate
danger of railroad operators being in
yolved.
Though moderation has not been
warmly advocated by the striking OPP
orators, who urgently demanded that
leased wire and broker operators "walk
out first and then present demands, B."
the action of New York, Boston and
other eastern cities in preferring to await
the decision of conference of leaders
has its effect here, and there may be no
further spread of the strike until after
Thursday.
Officers of the local union have re.
ceived word from the Chicago Fed
Grafton of Labor to the effect that the
organization is entirely in sympathy with
the strike and promising financial IS we'll
as moral support.
The minimum demand for salaries
made by the brokerage and leased wire
operators today is $50 for q week Of six
days.
Western Union and Postal managers
in Chicago, Kansas City, Milwaukee,
ST. Louis and Omaha have notified OPP
orators who remain in the service of the
company during the strike that they will
be granted double pay and free meals
and lodging.
Superintendent Capen OF the Postal
Telegraph Company says: owe are
handling all the business presented to us
and will be in better shape still in two
days. The only trouble we now have is
with the outside operators who sympa.
thize with the union aud yet go on ac-
cepting pay from the company and do
what they can to hinder the dispatch of
business"
"Not one OF our Offices in the entire
country is completely tied up" says
Superintendent T. P. Cook, of the West
ern Union. 1.-THE public can do with
out large share of the telegraph bust
ness it has been accustomed to use be.
cause it was cheap. We will be able to
handle emergency messages all right"
Secretary Russell OF the lelegraphers'
union Gays: "Our forces are more
intact today than they ever we're.
We have the support of two million
aud quarter members of the Feds.
ration OF Labor and The backing of forty |
five Thousand members of the order of
railway telegraphers. The eyes of the
world are on Chicago and in my belief
this will be a crisis in the history Of
labor. We are in a position |
10 hold out for day or for a year"
Chicago, Aug. 12.-Ohicsgo is iso-
ated Geographically. Supt. Cook of
The local Western Union Offices, adj
nitted as much to the United Press
shortly before noon.
"The strikers have put Chicago off
he map" he said. "We have men to
work, but cannot keep wire more than
40 minutes. / have reason to believe that
he railroad telegraphers have received
ecret orders to pulOhicago out of business
They are doing it. As soon as a Chicago
message in heard going over the wire
'utcomes plug and we are DONE"
Conditions are the game with the
'ostal company.
Chicago, Aug. 12.-General secre-
airy Russell has just issued a call to all
ocals to hold meetings Immediately
to general strike if the
do not grant the full demand
Without further delay. He is now pre-
airing the demands
Chicago, Aug. 12.--Gen Secretary
RUSSELL at noon issued q call to ell
perators OF local unions to meet i'm
lediatelY preparatory to arranging for
general strike. He also issued an
rider directing the men to stand firm.
At both the Western Union and Pos
al Telegraph Offices messages are being
efused except subject to indefinite de-
".
The strike was precipitated in the
Western Union Office by the compsny's
xpulsion from the building OF three
len discharged Saturday for refusing to (
'ceiye messages from Chicago strike !
reskers.
Chicago, Aug. 12.--Samuel Gompers, {
resident of the American Federation OF q
abor, favors arbitration as means OF
,ding the telegraphers' strike. Shortly t
ter arriving in Chicago he held long 1
inference with former United States 4
,nstor William E. Mason. Gompers C
,clsres he did not come to Chicago for b
e purpose of acting in the interests of v
e operators, but that he will do all in
S power to bring about a settlement.