Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-20
Head Of Telegraphers Says
Union Will Have Enorm-
Gus Fundin the Treasury
w it hin the Next
Two Months
WIRE CHIEF TELLS
OF MEMS GRIEVANCES
In Extended Statement He
Sets Forth Alleged Breach
es of Faith on the Part
Of the Companies

of the Companies
Chicago, Aug. 1.-Two million dol
lars for a strike fund! President Syl-
vsster ]. Small of the International
photographers union last night de-
clared that the telegraphers would
have that sum in their war chest the
within next two months.
| It was the first time an officer of the
Union had expressed an opinion that
| the struggle would be protracted
one, It indicated that the national
leaders appreciate the gravity of the
! situation, if the rank and file do not,
and, are making preparations for it.
Mr.. Small furthermore observed
that talking would not win the strike;
that plenty of hard work would be de-
manded of the officers and members.
When Strikes Are Justified.
| In an extended Statement issued
later Mr.. Small enuniciated mis- doc
trine of the right to strike, as follows:
II do not believe in strikes any more
than / do in murder, but do believe
in justice and in the first law of ma
ture, which is self-preservation, and
when Justice cannot be had nor self
preservation maintained without, re-
sort to either or both of these harsh
remedies then harsh measures will be
justified.
| a have right to kill you. when,
and only when, you are about to Kill
me, In order that | may preserve my
! own life This is the law, the external
law, the first great principle. of human
existence. So too. in times of great
commercial industrial strife when
you have combined your power and
your wealth to enslave and to destroy
me wholly, / have the right to combine
my power and my wealth (Which is
my labor to destroy YOU"
: President smaIl's Statement.
The long expected statement OF
President Small was issued last night.
In his statement he declares that the
claims Of the companies and of the
employees should be submitted to an
exhaustive and impartial investigation
which should be conducted under gov
eminent supervision.
| "In the present great conflict" says
Small in his statement, lit is contend
4 ed by the telegraphers that the conf
paries have employed against them
methods so unjust. means so unworthy
and general course SO inconsistent
with the principles of Justice that
their position as employees have be-
come actually unbearable. Their pray
er and petitions for redress Of griev.
ances have been uniformly rejected,
4 - Il, .apon fncsoncoc panfaranPp
1 has been denied them altogether.
"This the companies deny and in
turn declare that they have not only
treated their employees justly and con.
|siderately, but that they have aAual-
Ily exhausted their means trying to
/ do ample Justice by them. The Issue
is therefore squarelv drawn. These
claims can be determined only by an
exhaustive and impartial investiga
ton of the claims of both parties
which 1t seems should be undertakes
Iby the national government or at least
conducted under government supervi
lsion."
The statement says that the govern
ment has the authority to conduct
such an investigation because the tele
graph companies are engaged in inter
SLal0 -Cu+uulSfCS, nc iCdSouo lCl tils
present strike are given by President
Small as follows:
a. The long-continued and persist
) ent efforts of the Western Union Tele
; graph company notably. and the Pos
tai Telegraph company incidentally r
reduce their operators to a state o
seryitude absolutely impossible o
human endurance.
20. The REPEATED violation of agree
ments entered into by the Posta
company with it's telegraphers and tn,
persistent refusal of the Western
Union company to receive committees
of its telegraphers for the purpose O
discussing grievances.
"Third-The utter disregard of tn
promises made by Colonel Clowry II
his letter to Commissioner of Labo
Neill, dated June 20 last. followe
by the direct and voluntary breaking
of the written agreement ending tn
San Francisco strike. July 10. 1907
: which agreement, with the origina
signatures thereto attached. is no,
filed with the department of con
merce and labor at Washington"
y The statement declares that afte
the settlement Of the San Francisc
strike the women operators after thei
return to their places were put O
night tricks and compelled to e
Q through the negro quarter of Yves
Oakland, where the main Offices ar
o located. after dark and that many c
0 them resigned rather than endure th
Treatment. In addition to this til