The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-03-19
5000 POstOffiCe TeIegrd-
piers Join the Strike.
TELEPHONE GIRLS ALSO IN FIGHT
Railroad Mail Clerks Resolve to
Quit Work, and Government
Service Is Almost
Paralyzed.

Paris, March 16.-In addition to the
general telegraphers, strike of the
5000 telegraphers of the postoffice de-
partment was declared here following
a meeting of the General Association
of Post-Telegraph Employees at which
5000 were present.
The resolution to strike was voted
without a single dissenting voice, and
orders were issued Immediately for the
withdrawal of all operators employed
in the telegraphic bureaus of the de-
partment. Thousands of wires were
cut by the strikers.
The resolution recites that the strike
action is taken as a protest against
the arbitrary and tyrannical admins
tration and that the decision was pre-
cipitated by an insult addressed by NJ.
Simyan. undersecretary of posts and
telegraphs, to the officials of the assO-
citation.
Some time prior to taking a vote the
General Association of Employees is
sued a statement protesting vigorously
against NJ. Simyan's charge that the
movement was anarchistic. They de-
clared that il was designed solely to
protect their interests.
The resolution adopted also pledges
the members Of the association to re-
sistance until all measures of repres-
sion have been withdrawn and pro-
vides that an urgent appeal shall be
issued to the telegraph operators in
the provinces to join I'm the movement.
The meeting broke up without dis
turbance, and the services of heavy
force Of reserves of police and mount
ed municipal guards about the build
ing were not required. The commit
tees of the various branches Of the
service Immediately declared them
selves permanent" and began active
work in organizing the strike.
At the meeting Of the general assO-
citation all the speeches indicated that
the indignation of the telegraphers
was directed principally against Secre-
tary Simyan, who is exceedingly un-
popular not only with the post tele-
graph employees, but with the public,
on account OF the execrable telephone
service.
The girl operators employed in the
telephone bureaus unanimously de-
cided to abide by the decision of the
meeting, while $50 railway mail clerks,
due to leave on outgoing trains during
the course of the evening, also decided
to abide by that decision. The strike.
therefore. involves the various branch
es of the service. These branches are
now more or less paralyzed. Less than
a third of the railway mail clerks fail
ed to report for duty.
The government put forth every ef-
fort to preserve international commu-
nication, but the central telegraph sta
ton was demoralized and practically
out Of commission.
Eight railroad mail clerks were ar
raigned in police court charged with
insulting M. Simyan. The hearing was
a tumultuous one.
N. Thibault, one of the leaders, de-
olared that system Of tyranny exist
ed in the postal service and that pro-
motion depended upon favoritism. He
said men holding socialist or clerical
opinions were kept down and insisted
that the real cause of the trouble was
to be found in this injustice. All the
accused were sentenced to imprison-
ment for six days.
When the operators at the central
station learned Of these convictions
they INDUCED in a violent manifesto
tioA. Mr.. Lepipe and a detachment
of police arrested four Of the leaders.
A band of twenty striking postmen
appeared at various branch Offices and
urged their comrades to stop work and
join the strike.