New-York tribune., 1907-08-12
Local Telegraphers VIII Take NO
Action Until Friday.

Just as vote was about to be taken yester-
dav afternoon bv Local No 16., of the CONNER
cial Telegraphers' Union, at mass meeting IN
the Manhattan I.yceum No. 66 East 4th street.
which would undoubtedly have resulted IN a
strike the floor was given to James F. Archi-
bald. secretary of the New York section OF tle
Civic Federation His mission was TO state
that az the request of President Roosevelt
Secretary Ralph NJ. Easley, OF the natlohdi
executive committee of the Civic FederauOh'
Samuel Gompers. president OF the American
Federation of Labor and Charles p Neill' Cnlteo
States Labor Commissioner. were going to Cnl-
cago Immediately TO see President Small of the
union and make an endeavor TO arbitrate tne
trouble between the telegraphe:s and the west
ern Union and Postal Telegraph companies
AS the result of this announcement IT was de-
cided to postpone action until noon on r rloaS'
If negotiations are not satisfactorily reached De-
fore that time there will not only be generai
strike of the telegraphers throughout the OhiIeu
States and Canada, but there will also be gen
eraI sympathetic strike of the railroad telegraph
ers II was stated.
COMMITTEE GOES TO CHICAGO
The national executive committee Of the COM
merciaI Telegraphers Union started for chicago
Yesterday afternoon. OF the committee. Joseph
NJ Sullivan. of New York and NJ J. Reidy OF
Boston. attended the meeting. The other mem
hers of the committee are s j. konenkan1p' OF
Pittsburg; r. ]. Fowler of Memphis. Tenn anu
c. Z. Hill. of Toronto. chairman OF the COM
rnittee Chairman Eaaey of the national execu-
tive committee of the Civic Federation started
for Chicago early yesterday afternoon, ana
President Small has already left San Francisco
for Chicago. H. p. Perhanl. president of the
Railroad TeIegraphers' Union. will also attend
the conference If Mr. Small can reach Chicago
In time the conference will be arranged for
Wednesday. and then an attempt will be made
to end the trouble through negotiations with the
officers of the Western Union and Postal IeIe-
graph companies.
Members OF the union, who were seen last
night admitted that they were at sea as 10 what
might happen between now and Friday IL was
also admitted that the executive officers of the
union had not been consulted in the strikes. and
the radical element in this city, which seemed
by far to be the stronger. was ready 10 re1use
to handle non-union messages to-day, If an
order was given that effect. There seemed ~
be little doubt. that. regular or irregular, such
an order would be generally obeyed If sent out
by President Small or Secretary Russell not
withstandng the action taken at the meeting
The prevailing impression. however. appeared to-
be that no strike would take place here before
Friday
1t was learned that when NJ j. Reidy. the
member of the executive committee from Bos-
ton made a speech arguing against a strike,
there was the widest excitement, and ne was
interrupted once or twice. The police IL was
reported, had to be called to preserve order. but
the telegraphers denied this and said that there
was no trouble of any kind.
Mr. Reidy, before he left the hall. said TO the
reporters that he counselIed the telegraphers
against a strike. He added:
The boys can get all they want without
strike Every year since the union was formed
they were enabled TO get concessions Ihey can
do il vet without strike"
Some of the telegraphers were ready TO dis
pute this. but he would not enter INTO an arSu-
ment
The meeting yesterday afternoon was at
tended by fully one thousand members. 1nclud-
ing three hundred women, and the sentiment
was strongly in favor Of a strike at once From
all parts OF the hall were heard SHOUTS OF
"Strikei" "Striker' and the leaders of the union
and others who made speeches had good deal
of trouble in calming down the telegrapherS-
The statement attributed to ]. Charles Bar
clay. assistant general manager OF the western
Union, TO the effect that the nine men and
women we're discharged from the main office
not because they belonged TO the union but for
intoxication, made the telegraphers furious
against the company. 1t was Indignantly de-
MED by several of the speakers. Percy Thomas.
vice president of the Commercial Telegraphers
Union. former President Daniel z. Russell OF |
Local 16; NJ. ]. Reidy, of the national executive
committee; Herman Robinson. general organizer |
of the American Federation of Labor. and Mr.. |
Archibald and others addressed the meeting. |
Most of them urged that another effort should !
be made for peace before a strike ordered |
here. The idea did not seem to be popular, and |
there were a good many cries of dissent.
URGED TO Go SLOWLY |
Reidy strongly urged the meeting not to |
order strike until he exhausted every plan of /
neace He said that sometimes unions which |
we're very strong were able TO get all they want !
ed without a strike. John I. Mitchell, an old |
master workman, who declared the strike of |
telegraphers in 1883. and Milan W. Russell. for
merIy editor of the official organ of the teleg-
raphers advised moderation. and said the strike !
should be postponed in accordance with Archf- |
bald's suggestion
Finally it was decided that immediate action |
he deferred, and that both companies be in |
formed that if they continued recruiting strike |
breakers in New York summary action would be |
taken An amendment made by ex-Presi- |
dent Daniel L. Russell to the effect that the |
companies receive until Friday noon pending the |
efforts to be made I'm the mean time in Chicago |
10 bring about settlement failing in which the |
New York local executive board be empowered |
TO declare a strike Immediately. The amend |
ment was carried and the meeting shortly after !
ward adjourned Some of the officers remained |
10 transact special business
Mr. Russell then made the following state |
ment:
I'VE are giving the companies another chance |
IN do the right thing before a general strike is |