The Mena weekly star., 1907-08-15
PRESS OPERATORS GOOU|
ieiegraphers Employed by New, Gathering Association Join Con-
 mercial Men in Strike.
NO PROSPECT OF AN EARLY SETTLEMENT
On the Contrary Secretary Russell, os the Operators Union Predicts thai Entire Membership Will be calIes out at Once-Situation In General Unions Funds Low.

Union's Funds Low.
 New York, Aug. 14-Melville E. stone, general manager of The As sociated Press replied Monday to tn, requests of the telegraphers employ ed by The Associated Press. rness requests were:
 Day Work-Six days, eight hours daily $50 per week and overtime and extra at the rate of 50 cents per hour
 Night Work - Six nights, eight hours, $35 per week and overtime and extra at the rate oI 75 cents per hour
 The vacations to remain as at pres ent.
 A proportionate increase for chiefs and sub-chief operators.
 The telegraphers requested reply by 7:30 clock Monday evening. MT Stones reply follows:
 T received Monday morning a com munication from large number of the operators in the service of The Associated Press asking for changed scale of wages and hours, and request ing reply by haf past seven o'clock Monday evening.
 The changes involved are so radical in their nature as to add over $200, 900 year, and probably more, to the expense of this organization. The As sociated Press is mutual in it's char acter, makes no profits and has no surplus fund out of which such a sum could be paid. Any such increase must of necessity be levied back upon the newspapers as part of their weekly assessments. As general man ager, l have no power to make such an increase either in salaries or as sessments without authority from the board of directors, and it is obviously impossible to call this board together within the time named The board consists or Is members scattered Sarcughout the entire country
 At 12:50 tho Associated press open ed its second day leased wire to Chi cago and the second north wire from Chicago to Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St, Paul and Duluth.
 Kansas City, Aug. 14.-At 7:30 o'clock Monday evening all the As sociated Press operators in the of flee here left their keys and walked out
 Chicago, Aug. 14.-The operators in the office in this city, and on the sortn and western circuits of the As sociated Press leased wire system stopped work Monday night at 7:So o'clock.
 Chicago, Aug. 14.-General Secre- tary Russell of the telegraphers union Tuesday predicted that before night the strike would be general through. out the United States and Canada. He said: "All members of the national executive board are here with the ex- ception of President Small and he wired his sanction of any step We may take in the direction of calling general strike. A meeting of the executive board was held Tuesday to consider a general strike In my opinion by night the 25,000 operators in the United States and Canada who belong to the union will be called out" Labor Commissioner Neill. Pres ident Gompers and other leaders con ferred Tuesday with the idea of ar ranging some manner of settling the strike. Commissioner Neill declared there was no immediate indication of a settlement
 Officers of the local telegraphers' union assured the operators who crowded the local headquarters that if they remained out the companies would be forced to meet their de mands. Some operators said the unions funds were insufficient to finance protracted strike but they are depending on aid from allied unions
 New York. Aug. l4.-While the strikinA telegrapher's claim their strike will be successful the officials