The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-03
SWITCHMEN MAY CAUSE TROUBLE Clash With Strike Breakers
 Feared. PATROLMEN PLACED ON GUARD Many Factories Tied Up by Traffic
 Blockade. Both Sides in Dispute Claim Conf,- dence In Outcome--Railroad Om- ciais Import Hundreds To
 Take Place of strikers
 Tn Nerthwest.

St. Paul. Minn.. Dec. 2--chief John J. o'connor. of the Police Department. practically admitted that he consider ed the switchmens strike situation serious today when he issued orders requiring all members of hia day force to stay on duty at Central Station un- til 10:30 o'clock in the evening. and recalled all pRtrolmen on leave.
 The order goes into effect tonight, and will continue until all danger of clash between the strikers and the breakers is ended.
 Severa conferences between the Chief and officials of the railroads have been held today. According to the latter. the beginning of the end or the strike ia in sight. One official said that the railroads were handl- ing 30 per cent of all business offered.
 We are employing new men as fast as they come and we are moving q large amount of package freight. In a week the public will not know that there is a strike on among the switch- men,"
 Many strike-Breakers on Scene.
 Between 200 and 300 men arrived today from Chicago and were distrih- uted about St. Paul. Minneapolis and Duluth. The railway managers claim they can get plenty of men to take the places of the switchmen and that some of the men now on hand are ex- perienced switchmen.
 Some will be placed at work in the yards and others will be utilized as guards.
 Five switch engines were working in the union depot yards today and others were expected to be put in commission when needed. According to Third Vice President G. T. Shade, way freight service had been re-estah- iished on practically all lines.
 Certain St. Paul wholesale grocers reported that shipping conditions were unchanged.
 As against the optimistic statements of the railroad managers. tho strike leaders say they are in stronger posi- tion today than they have been since the strike started. They refer to the fact that the Brotherhood Of Train men and Conductors passed resolu- tions today in joint session declar- ing they would stand neutral" and only do such switching work as they have always done.
 Factories Are Tied Up.
 Factory forces are being reduced, owing to the shortage Of supplies caused by the freight tie-up and the SnOUH OE InG 0TGab kSOA which employs 1000 men. failed to open for business today. All but one of the twenty-three big flour mills in Minneapolis are idle.
 Imported strike-breakers, wearing special police badges. were reported on duty at the union station yards to- day. President Hawley called the at tentton of State Labor Commissioners McEween to the matter.
 McEween said that if the men wear ing police badges were not residents of Minneapolis. they, ana those re- spcnsible for their presence. were vio- lating the State law and that he will at once order their arrest if they ap- pear liable under the law.
 Mayor Lawler retained by the switchmen at legal counsel. ad- dressed mass meeting of the switchmen in Minneapolis last night During the course of his remarks he said:
 "The five men you have selected to lead your strike are tried men and true, and l would rather follow their lead than that of the ten gentlemen at the Hotel Ryan in St. Louis. Some of the newspapers give you the ein- ployers' side only aNd state that the managers were not notified until too late of the contemplated action of the switchmen, but I state here and now that they knew to man that the strike order was issued and that they made no offer of a settlement to avert the impending trouble"
 svyitchmen's Chief Retieent.
 When President Hawley. of the Switchmen's Union. was shown the statement of the General Managers in Chicago, regarding the refusal of the men to arbitrate their differences. he said:
 T do not care to make formal an- swer to that until consult with May or Lawler, who is our legal adviser. MT Lawler, however, has answered every point raised by the General Managers Committee in his state ment which was made public here to- day"
 Mayor Lawler in his statement de- fined the position of the men and the refusal to arbitrate under the Erdman law.
 The Mayor says that the railroad managers making a concerted action through the press to create public opinion in their favor, are not In po- sition to charge the men with unfair ness in refusing to arbitrate under that law for the reason that from the beginning of the dispute the managers refused to consider a suggestion rela- tive to an increase in wages for the men.
 Mayor Lawler says the Erdman law is so hedged about with the legal pro- visions that should the switchmen agree to arbitrate under that law that they would be stripped of all legal power to legitimately press their claims and 1t would put them com pletely in the power of the railroads.
 Mayor Lawler says. admitting that the decision was favorable to the switchmen, the railroads might appeal to the courts and delay a final decision from one to two years. during which time they would be compelled to work under the old schedule of wages and 1t would be illegal for them to strike or in any way aid in a strike.
 strike May Spread.
 Spokane Wash, Dec 2.-Reports are current here that the engineers and fremen of the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific have demanded an advance in wages.
 At the local offices of the Great Northern 1t was admitted that a new schedule was being prepared but 1t