Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-13
WASHINGTON HARD HIT
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any overtures that may be made to them
! to act strike breakers.
| 1t is understood that lists of the avaia-
| BILE operators who are not now In the bust
ness will be prepared by both the strike
committee and the officers of the telegraph
companies.
Messengers in Sympathy.
Satisfaction was expressed by the mem
| bers of the strike committee of the teleg-
| raphers when word was brought to them
| by bright-faced lad that I'VE fellers of
de messenger gang is wild ye for keeps. -
He said all the messenger boys had gone
out with few exceptions and would decline
! to deliver messages sent or received by
| nom unonists.
An what Well do wild de kids as stay in
will be plenty" the boy added as a parting
shot.
President Groves of the Local Telegra-
piers Union gave expression to his feel
Ings as to the strike situation in the fol-
lowing words
II am very much gratified at the showing
that has been made In the local walkout
1t shows that telegraphers are very much
;; In earnest. The spirit of stick is with
them
First National Vice President Beattie
said:
Our fight is in the interest of the public
as well Of our craft The public has
been imposed upon by the big telegraph
corporations and they sought to make the
telegraphers mere scrfs. The operators are
intelligent men and are in touch with the
affairs of the people and know when they
are being treated unfairly. That such A
body of men the commercial telegra-
pliers went out on strike is the best ind!-
cation, in my opinion. that the conditions
imposed upon them We're radically wrong
Signal Came by Phone.
Mr.. Beattie said also that as a national
officer, he received the signal for the Wash
ington operators to go out from Deputy
President Percy Thomas at New York. who
was assigned to wa.ch out for the interests
of the telegraphers in the east The mes
sage came over the long distance telephone.
and was shortly afterward confirmed by a
telegram from the same source.
Il ordered the strike yesterday afternoon
in advance Of these ORDERS, said Mr.. Beat
tie. but l had received from General Sec
rotary Treasurer Wesley Russell at Chica-
ga, advance message Sunday over the
long distance phone. by which l was guild
ed in calling for The yea and nay vote on
remain at our keys In his message MIR.
Russell said
do all in your power to cause Washing
ton Operators to be firm. Success Is in
sight,
Pledge Their Support.
A number Of government employees who
are acquainted with the electric language
of the dot and the dash. and can work tele-
graph wires If necessary. although some OF
them have not been in the business for sew
eral years. called at strike headquarters
at the Columbia Hotel on their way to their
offices this morning and assured Vice Presi-
dent Beattie that they would not serve the
telegraph companies as strikebreakers.
Several former army operators did likewise,
Mr.. Beattie said.
All the long-distance phones in Washing
ton were kept busy today because of the
tie-up of the telegraph service, and it was
said the amount of mail matter received by
the post Office was increased because of the
uncertainty of the wires.
The important question of financing the
local strike was also given consideration at
strike headquarters today. The proposition
was advanced Of calling a mass meeting in
of the local theaterS or large halls of
the people who are in sympathy with the
telegrapherS for the purpose of considering
ways and means of raising a local strike
fund to be added to that in the hands of
the national treasurer. The officers of the
local union said they believed the fair
minded business men of Washingto tom were
with them in this strike for Justice" and
would respond to their call for money for
the fund
1t was stated that word had been sent
through local sources to the International
Typographical Union. now in session at
Hot Springs, Ark. and that the printers
would respond literally. because of their
experience in the great strike against the
Typothetae Of America. from which they
have recently emerged Further statements
were that the American Federation of
Labor and the Central Labor Union would
also furnish funds in support Of the teleg-
raphers during their strike
"Indefnite to All Points"
At the counters of the telegraph offices
today those persons who desired to send
messages We're informed by the receiving
clerks that the kilograms would be received,
but they would only be accepted indefinite
to all points" or Subject to delay"
A brisk appearing business man who an
preached the counter of one of the tele-
graph companies today received the infor-
nation that there was nothing definite
about the time his message would be sent
to Chicago.
We'll, in that case" he replied. ct guess
I had better stick a two-cent stamp on It
and trust it to Uncle Sans mail service"
and he walked rapidly in the direction of
a street letter box.
Both the local telegraph companies claim
today that they were operating business
satisfactorily. while the strike leaders on
the other hand. assert that they have tied
up business very generally. Manager Taff
of the Western Union stated today that the
detection of the men has not affected 1.-The
handling of business In the slightest"
I'VE are not suffering any interruption OF
wire facilities" he said. and business is
clear. All business is being accepted, subject
to the usual precautionary delay All the
men on duty are receiving regular salaries
as bonus, or are being paid for all work as
extra at the rate of seven hours day Of
the night force over forty of the men are
working We are carrying the normal
number of men for this season"
Manager Prosser of the Postal Telegraph
claimed that that Office is working salts
factorily and that there is no interruption
OF business. He made estimate of the
number of men at work.
The telegraphers strike will affect Alex
andria but little. The Western Union and
the Postal companies employ only one regu-
lar operator each and neither of these is
affiliated with the union. The Western
Union operator stated this morning that the
first experience he had in connection with
the strike was this morning when q rail.