Evening star., 1907-08-23
"13" FIGURES IN TR|KE
That Many Strikers Return to
Work, 'Tis Claimed.
BOTH SIDES STILL SURE
And Stick to Their Guns Like Real
Soldiers. =
THRILLING WITH THE TRUTH
Big Meeting Of Strikers at Columbia
Theater Tonight-South and
West Tied UP.
BOTH SIDES STILL SURE
TRIFLING WITH THE TRUTH

The so-called unlucky number '13" fig:
ured prominently today in the local strike
OF the telegraph keymen.
But to the managers of the telegraph Of
fees here the number was lucky, they ex-
planned, as just thirteen of the striking
telegraphers had forsaken the union and
returned to their keys.
Ten of the strikers, according to Assistant
Manager James T. Bresnahan of the West
ern Union Company, have SURRENDERED,
and are now at work in the main office of
that company. Three others are reported
to have resumed their places with the
Postal company.
The managers of the Washington
branches of the two big corporations ex-
pressed themselves as much pleased with
what they characterize as "a serious break
In the ranks of the strikers
When these alleged desertions from the
forces of the telegraphers' union were re-
ported to My. W. w. Beattie. international
vice president of the operators organiza-
ton. this afternoon he said:
1--WE have not heard of them. and until
our pickets so report 1 shall doubt the
truthfulness of the statements
Optimistic Conversation.
Referring to the ten strikers, who. he
said. had returned to their keys, Mr.. Bres-
nahan asserted that the Western Union
office here could have the services of ten
more of the striking union keymen If 1t
was so desired. He also entered an en-
phatic denial of the statement that the local
offices had been resorting to grapevine
telegraphic methods ara sending dispatches
to other cities in suit cases, by railroad and
express.
This is an unqualified misstatement."
he added "All kilograms that have been
received here or sent from Washington by
our company have gone over the wires. We
have been able ever since the strike began
to handle all business that came in our
Offices
Speaking of the men who returned to the
company after having been on the strike
list, Mr.. Bresnahan sad none of them, ac-
Cording to their own statements, appeared
to have any grievance against the company.
1T was a case of the sheep following their
leader and jumping over the fence In the
stampede" he concluded.
There was considerable hustle at the new
headquarters of the executive COMMITTEES
of the strikers at the Hotel Regent today.
1t was explained that the telegraphers were
getting ready for their big open meeting
this evening at the Columbia Theater. The
name of Rev. Alexander Kent. pastor OF
the Peoples Church. was this forenoon add
ed to the list of speakers, and it is the
expectation of the committee that at least
one business man will address the assem-
oraS oF o1y c-iA -fribr Tod
today in the several departments of the
government. and many ladies have prom
ised to be present.
Fair Experts to Attend.
One of the features of the occasion will
be the presence of about twenty-five of the
lady operators now on strike, who probably
will occupy boxes.
1t is said that Secretary Sam De Nedrey
OF the Central Labor Union in his address
will tell the public why the striking teleg-
raphers should succeed in their fight for
the privilege of living as American citizens
should live. and not as Russian serfs.'
Vice President Beattie said this after
noon that reports from the west and south
were most encouraging, as the union had
nearly all the offices in those sections tiled
up tight"
ment in sight, and that such settlement,
If 1t comes. will be highly honorable to
the keymeH. He believes the public will
demand that terms be agreed upon by the
companies. because of the serious manner
In which important telegraphic business Is
now handicapped.
1t was said at the headquarters of the
strikers that the companies are employing
dummy operators at some of the branch
telegraph offices. and that some of the girls
and boys who sit ar the keys do not know
the difference between dot and dash,
but receive kilograms from the public and
pretend 10 send them by wire to the main
office, although in fact the messages are
sent to headquarters by messenger boys, or
slow freight"
Goodness! Can 1t Be True?
Speaking of the published reports that
certain OF the companies were installing
the Rowland Telegraph Company's mechan-
ical telegraph system in lieu of I've opera
tors. Mr.. Beattie declared that such ma
chimes would never displace telegraph op-
orators
The wires have to be in perfect order
or the machines will not work, while in
bad weather they are almost useless. The
Postal company found il necessary TO aban-
dor the Barkley machine which was In
operation between Washington and New
York. and other mechanical contrivances
TO supersede the brains and intelligence OF
men and women will meet with a similar
fate
The machine which is being installed, ac-
cording to telegraphic advices, is the in
Nenuon of DR.. II. a. Rowland of Johns
Hopkins University. Baltimore, and the
factory that manufactures them is said TO
be working overtime on the orders in hand
Word has been received here that spies
and paid emissarieS of the telegraph COM
panies are at work among the strikers
a meeting of the strikers executive COM
mittee has been called for 30 o'clock to-
morrow afternoon at headquarters in the
Hotel Regent
KEMP'S BOND MADE GooD