The Washington times., 1907-08-12
Washington Operators
Refuse to Work
With "ScabS."
Men Will Probably Be
Ordered Out
Today.

/
tors were holding a hurriedly called
meeting to consider a new condi-
ton which has arisen in the strike
situation here.
The executive board, after meeting a.
/ noon, announced that Il would recon
yene at 2 o'clock. and that 1t will call
| strike in at least one OF the local OIL
! ces Is the consensus OF opinion among
| local telcgraphers who have been In
state OF suppressed excitement since
shortly before noon when two Postal
/ operators left their keys after being
! asked TO take a message from a non
union man.
! These operators were P. II. Delaplane
/ and F. S. Mitchell. who. when directed
10 take a message over the Atlantic
wire, refused A hurry call for a meet
! ing Of the executive committee was sen;
/ out and by noon the committee was in
! session. At 1890 o'clock the committee
/ adjourned temporarily. and Delaplane
was instructed by President Groves 10
return TO work until a decision was
| reached at the second meeting
Deleplane. acting upon the orders OF
/ the union president returned 10 work
Few moments afterward. subject 10 the
/ further orders Of the executive COM
mittee. Il is not believed that Operator
Mitchell has communicated with the
executive committee, and In consequence
/ he is still out
/ A member OF the committee immodi-
ately after adjournment OF the meet
/ ing shortly after noon made the follow
/ ing statement TO a Times renorter.
we cannot make anything public Un-
! III after Z O'Clock The committee is
| &c reconvene at that time and a dsCi-
sion in regard to the matter will then
made"
clined 10 discuss the matter when seen
this AFTERNOON, stating that hc would
have nothing 70 ray regarding the
probability OF a strike until the strike
Itself was upon him. A number OF the
Postal operators expressed diGpleasure
at the committee's action ia ordering
the striking operators 70 return to work.
even for a short time. ard were in
favor OF supporting the acti3n Of the
two men, and walking out ir. a body
IL was stated that this action was frus-
trated only BY tne desire Of some OF the
more conservative element 10 be en-
tirely regular in their proceedings, and
the mandate Of the executive committee
was obeyei accordingly.
President Groves Orders.
Operator Delaplane when returning 70
his key IN the Postal building said:
4 return 10 work only upon order OF
President Groves, Of the local union,
who informed me personally that
should take this action. pending fur
ther Instructions from the executive
committee later In the afternoon"
Another Postal operator made the fol-
| lowing statement 20 Times reporter
shortly after the action OF the executive
committee became known:
The operators generally are acquaint-
ed with the full deliberations OF the
committee but we were Informed by
would keep in check until later IN the
day a pleasant surprise would De IN
store for all. What this surprise con-
sists OF am unable 10 state. An order
10 strike would be pleasant news Tor
some of the operators. and It Is posi-
bic that this IS the decision which has
been reached and that the committee
has set a specific hour for such action.
Western Union Men Quiet.
Assistant Manager Bresnahan, Of the
Weston Union, said: so far as we are
able to fudge, there Is today no prob
ability of a strike in our ranks. The
men are all at work, and there is no
Indication of any precipitate action of
this kind.
cot course should such a contingency
arise the company would protect It's IN
/
we have nothing 10 say as 10 our con-
templated action"
In answer to a question OF a Times
reporter, Mr.. Bresnahan stated that he
understood there were large number
of former operators now employed in
other YocatiOns in Washington, num-
Der of them being N the Government
service in various capacities Referring
TO the suggestion that these men might
be used in case OF an emergency and as
temporary relief operators, he said: "A
great many Of the old operators,
should think. would not object to MAX
ing some extra money and am honest
dollar If the opportunity presented it.
self. I must decline to state, however.
whether we have considered this phase
of the matter, as we are hoping to
avoid trouble in the Washington office,
rather than to bring It on
sss Men Here.
The following is an estimate Of the
number of telegraphers regularly en-
ployed IN Washington:
Western Union. 40: Postal. 95; Pre6s
Associations and newspapers, 40; Gov
ernment service, 40, and stocks. 40.
Total. 335
After one Of the longest and most
heated sessions in the history OF the
local body, the members q Local No. a.
Of tho Commercial Telegraphers Union
voted yesterday 10 walk out today IN
event they were asked by the manage
ment of either company to receive from
or send messages 10 a nCn-union op-
orator.
1t was only through the persistent
work OF the more conservative clement
, that even a more drastic resolution did
not carry, IL being the desire of the radi-
cal element in yesterdays meeting to
call strike in Washington today with
out waiting for orders from the national
body purely through sympathy with the
striking operators throughout the West
IContinued nn Second Parel