Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-03
Report that Imported Men Are Acting
as Officers Being Investigated.
THINK END IS IN SIGHT
Railroad Officials Say Conditions Will
Be Normal Within Week.
SWITCHMEN DISPUTE THIS
They Say Little Freight IL Moving
and Trainmeu win Not Aid
Ronds-More Factories
Are Idle.

ST. PAUL Dec. 2.-Chief John J. OCon-
ner Of the police department practically
admitted that he considered the strike
condition situation serious today when he
issued orders requesting all members Of
his day force to stay on duty at Central
station until 1880 in the evening.
The order goes into effect tonight and
will continue until all danger Of a clash
between the strikers and the strikebreak-
ers is ended.
Severa, conferences between the chief
and officials of the railroads have been
held today,
According to the railroad officials the
beginning Of the end OF the swltchmen's
strike is in sight One prominent official.
who has been active in managing the
strike said today that the railroads were
handling 80 per cent of all business Of
fered
I'VE are employing new men as fast
they come and we are moving a large
amount Of package freight In a week
the public will not know that there is a
strike on among the switchmen"
Between 200 and 800 men arrived today
from Chicago and were distributed 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 experienced 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 early today and
| others were expected to be put In COM
mission when needed.
As against the optimistic statements of
the railroad managers the strike leaders
say they are in a stronger position today
| than they have been since the strike
started. They refer to the fact that tho
! Brotherhood of Trainmen and Conductors
| passed resolutions in join session. declar-
ing that they stand neutra. and only do
such switching work as they have always
done"
Flour Mills Are Idle.
Factory forces are being reduced because
of the shortage Of supplies caused by the
freight tle-up and the two big shops Of
the Great Northern railroad, employing 1000
men, failed to open for business today.
All but one of the twentythree big flour
mills in Minneapolis are idle, although the
millers say they will know In twenty-four
hours whether they will open their mills
| shortly.
| Imported strike breakers wearing special
police badges were reported on duty at
the Union station yards today by strike
pckets and when President Hawley learned
that these men had been imported he called
the attention OF the state labor commits
soner to the matter.
Labor Commissioner McEaten said that II
the men wearing police badges were not
residents Of Minnesota, they and those re-
sponsbe for their presence in the state
were violating the law. Mr.. McIisten is
L. a .. a..
afternoon that II he finds nonresidents Of
Minnesota are wearing special police badges
he will at once order their arrest
The state law makes It illegal for any one
not a legal voter of the state to act as
special police officers, detective, constable,
militiaman or patrolman. II they have not
been sworn in they may be judged guilty
OF misdemeanor and II sworn they are
liable to imprisonment in state prison fer
one year
Mayor Lawler Of st. Paul, who has been
retained as cour sci for the swltchmen, in
addressing a mass meeting of strikers last
night, said:
'.The five men you have selected to lead
your strike are tried men and true Some
OF the newspapers give the employers side
only and state that the railroad managers
were not notified until too late OF the con-
templated action Of the switchmeni but
state here and now. that they knew to a
man that the strike order was issued and
that they made no offer Of a settlement to
avert the impending trouble"
When President Hawley OF the Switch
mems union was shown the statement Of
the general managers in Chicago, regard
ing the refusal Of the men 70 arbitrate
their differences, he said:
II do not care to make a formal answer
70 that until / consult with Mayor Lawler,
who is our legal adviser Mr.. Lawler,
however, has answered every point raised
by the general managers committee in his
statement made public here today"
Mayor Lawler, as counsel for the Switch
mems union, this afternoon issued a state
men defining the position OF the men and
the refusal to arbitrate, under the Erdmau
act
Mayor Accuses Managers.
The mayor says that the railroads mana
gers making a concerted action through
the press to create public opinion In theiI
favor are not I'm a position to charge the
men with unfalrness IN refusing to arbi
trate under that law, for the reason that
from the beginning Of the dispute the man
ayers refused to consider a suggestion rel
ative to an increase in wages for the men.
Mayor Lawler says the Erdman law is SC
hedged about with legal provisions tina
should the switchmen agree to arbitration
under It they would be stripped Of all lega
power legitmately to press their claimi
and it would put them completely in thu
power Of the railroads.
Mayor Lawler says admitting that IN,
decisions were favorable TO the switchmen
the railroads might appeal to the court
and delay a final decision from one [,
two years, during which the men woul,
be compelled to work under the OLE
schedule Of wages and II would be ilega