Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-08-22
UNION MEN OUT
EVERYWHERE
Strike ParaIyzes Telegraph Systems
Throughout Country.
No General Strike Order Has Been
Ordered, but Nation Leaders Say
They Will Stand by Local Unions
In Every Case-Higher Wages and
Shorter Hours Wanted.

Portland, Aug. 13.-The tele-
graphers' strike is now general
throughout the country. Following
is general summary of the situa-
tion today:
Commercial operators-Strike has
extended with great rapidity
throughout the United States and
telegraph business Is everywhere
paralyzed or badly crippled. Both
Western Union and Postal Telegraph
Companies appear to be equally af-
fected.
Press Operators-At 1880 p. m,
New York time, Associated Press
operators left their keys over the en-
tire system, refusing to give General
Manager Stone time to refer to the
board of directors Of the Associated
Press their demand for higher wages
and limitation of hours.
Railway Telegraphers Il. w.
Quick, grand secretary and treasurer
of the Order of Railway Telegraph
ers, issues order directing railroad
telegraphers not to handle CONNER
cial messages.
Practically the entire telegraphic
business Of the country is tied up as
the result of the strike inaugurated
in most of the large cities by the
operators of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company and the Postal Tele-
graph Company, and one or two
other telegraph companies of minor
The strike now involves not only
the commercial telegraphers, but
also the operators of the Associated
Press in all the large cities of the
country, save few in New England
and the Middle West. The strike Of
the Associated Press men came at
the end of day of negotiations be-
tween General Manager Melville E.
ers' union in New York. Owing to
the radical demands of the operators,
General Manager Stone asked for "a
hours in which to advise with the
members of the Board of Directors
Of the association.
This request apparently was ac-
ceptable to General Secretary Rus
sell, of the Telegraphers' Union, and
to large number of Associated
Press operators who realized it's rea-
sonableness, but a number of radi-
calls on the Texas circuit would not
consent to a postponement of action
on the part of the Associated Press
and quit their keys. This action was
followed largely throughout the
country.
A serious phase of the strike de-
veloped yesterday afternoon and dur
ing the night when it was discovered
that railroad telegraphers in many
places were tampering with the wires
1T relay points. By withdrawing
plugs" from the switchboards and
the wires communication
On a number of circuits was inter-
'upted and in some instances entire
y shut off.
From the developments of yester-
lay and last night it seems certain
hat the Order of Railway Tele-
5raphers will support the commercial
elegraphers in their strike, and it is
lot improbable that the railway tele-
,raphers' organization will become
more deeply involved in the strike
hould it be of lengthy duration.
w hiiO lAC OIL Inc dI ILLS time mas
he appearance and to some extent.
he effect of a general strike, such is
lot the case. A large number of
ommercial operators are still at
heir keys and will not go out until
instructed to do so by President
small,
In Portland the operators of the
Western Union and Postal Telegraph
Companies struck last night. The
Western Union men were called out
~ President Branin of the local
lnion at 1921 o'clock. The Postal
operators left their keys at 7:44
'clock. Both strikers were very or
lerly. The messenger boys struck
ast night at II o'clock after holding
meeting at which they formulated
demand for a considerable increase