The Washington times., 1908-04-21
TELEGRAPH STRIKE
PLANNED FOR JUNEE,
TINE IS FAVORABLE
Railroads Need Opera
tors and Financial
Stress Is Over.
Washington VIII Vote
on Question Sun
day Week.

Another big strike that will tie Up the
telegraph business of the country. and
be worse IN its effect than that OF
last summer. is threatened. A move
ment is being planned that is expected
10 eliminate in one of the biggest in
dustrial strikes the country has ever
seem Il will come on the eve OF a
Presidential election, while the country
is in the white heat Of a political cam
paign.
The proposition Of renewing the old
strike. which has only ben suspended. is
now before the various local unions Of
the International Commercial Telegraph
ers' Union, and already several OF the
biggest lodges in the cOur-ry have voted
10 strike. Among these Is the Chicago
local. which inaUgurated the strike
movement and placed IL before the other
local bodies and the International. Al
though no safe prediction can be made
from the present outlook. II Is appar-
cnt the strike will be called on June ],
the day set
Washington Votes in Fortnight.
No action has yet been taken by the
Washington local. but 1t is admitted
that the proposition win come up for
vote at the next meeting. a week from
Sunday. Meanwhile, it is significant
that the telegraphers Of this city have
completed preparations for the holding
Of a grand ball in Pythian Temple to-
morrow evening to raise funds. II is
announced that the sale Of tickets will
amount into the thousands OF dollars,
and there is no doubt that IL viii be
big success.
Other functions Of a similar nature
are being contemplated. and the teleE-
Taphers have called on all the other az
hliated bodies of the Central Labor
Union for aid. This aid VIII undOubt-
edly be given. as IL has In the past. In
the recent strike. money was freely
voted for the telegraphers support.
The strike of last August was mere
y suspended, owing to the financial
panic and other conditions with which
the telegraphers We've unable 10 cope.
Conditions are better now, and IL is be-
Neved by the organized men that they
have remedled all the defects that je0p-
ardized the last movement.
Conditions Ripe for Strike.
a prominent member OF the Telegra-
pliers Union said today that never be
fore was the time more ripe FOR such
q movement. Congress has refused even
10 consider the Cary bill for Govern
ment ownership or the telegraph; Ia
Dor laws have gone a-begging; indus
trial conditions are much improved:
and. most important of all. is the oper-
alton Of the eight-hvur law for railroad
telegraphers. In the previous strike
there were no positions to be had by
the men out Of work for the two big
companies, and Industrial conditions in
general were bad But at present ac-
cording 10 sworn statements made by
the railroad officials before Congress-
men, they cannot obtain enough men
10 work an eight-hOur shift. There are
therefore, hundreds Of Places on rail-
In F-s
would be waiting for The strikers.
Il is claimed that the companies are
more arbitrary than ever, and they are
grinding their employees 10 the limit of
human endurance. 4 a printed circular
sent out by one local, coalitions are de-
scribed as worse than those surround
ing the negro before the war. II is
claimed the hours are too long for
health. and that conditions in some OF
the big offices are degrading. and that
employees are neld in abject fear and
servitude on salaries that will no. buy
the necessities OF life.
Will Be Concerted Movement.
It is declared that the new movement
viii not be a disorganized one, but a
concerted walkout at an appointed hour
all over the country, and that every
man and every union win stay in line
and there Will be no disagreement or
sQuabbhng in the ranks. Ali the Vari-
Gus locals will have had notice and
ample time TO place the treasury in
condition TO stand a long apraWn-Out
siege.
The demands in the new strike viii be
the same as in that OF last August,
namely, a 10 per cent increase in wa-e
20 All employees. based on the rate paid
from March j. 1907. until the previous
strike was inauguratSd. an eight-hour
day for work, seven hours for night
work and split tricks. and no trick 10
be split more than once. 1t viii also be
lC .ntinued on Ninth Page)