Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-05
HEADS OF UNIONS AT OUTS
Bitter Quarrel Between Whitney anC
Hswley.
SAYS STRIKE WAS NOT LEGAL
whitney Asserts order Was Issued
without Giving the Men Chance
Chance to VOte-"sORb
shouts whitney.

ST. PAUL, Dec A quarrel between
Vice President whitney Of the Brother
hood Of Railway Trainmen and President
| Hawley OF the switchmens union is the
latest element injected into the strike.
whitney, who hurried to Duluth from
Buffalo In response to a demand from the
switchmen who are members Of the
Brotherhood, declares the switchmen were
not given an opportunity to vote on the
strike in accordance with section H2 Of
their constitution. Hawley retorts that the
men were given the opportunity and the
vote was taken. whitney also says 7b per
cent Of the switchmen at the head OF the
lakes are members of the Brotherhood and
will not abide by the order and to this
Hawley replied that only three Of the
Brotherhood have returned to work.
whitney says the .switchmen's Union Of
North America, in calling the strike, were
unfair to the Brotherhood. unfair with
their own members and unfair with the
railroads"
To this last statement President Hawley
retorted today:
''whitney's statement is a lame and con-
temptIble excuse for the men that he wants
to go back as scabs."
Two hundred strike breakers arrived here
today from Cleveland and Cincinnati. No
more switchmen would be brought in, It
was authoritatively stated.
End Seems Remote.
With both sides processing confidence as
to the outcome the fourth day Of the strike
began with no apparent progress made to-
ward a settlement Of the controversy.
While the switchmen still claim to have
the situation in hand the railroads have
been making headway by their steady inn
portation of new men to take the places
of the strikers and today they promise to
handle more freight than at any time since
the strike began.
They claim that as soon as all of the
new men now on their way arrive and be-
come familiar with the yards normal con-
ditons will be established.
Reports from Duluth say that the strike
at the head of the lakes Is practically
broke, but In the Twin Cities the railroads
have not been able to handle any volume
of business.
Discussion among various business or
ganizatons of the Twin Cities yesterday is
expected to result in some definite move
ment to bring the railroads and switchmen
together for a conference today. The rail-
road officials say, however, that they will
make no concessions and II the switonmen
return to work it will have to be under
the same conditions that prevailed before
the strike.
knapp and Nein in Washington.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3-Chairman Mar
tin A. Knapp Of the Interstate Commerce
| commission and Dr. Char.es p. Neill, COM
missioner of labor, members OF the medita-
ton board under the Erdman act, re-
turned to Washington today from St Paul,
Mimi, where they had been endeavoflng
to adjust the controversy between the
Switchmen's Union Of North America and
the northwestern railroads.
1t is unlikely they will be called again
into the controversy.
Neither Chairman Knapp nor DR.. NeIn
would discuss the situation for publica-
ton. Both agreed, however, that It was
serious.
| Freight Blockade Broken.
CHICAGO, Dec S.-Traffic managers of
the various railroads running through the
northwest today issued orders to receive
all freight consigned to points on their
! lines without restrictions. The subject to
delay" notices posted when the strike of
switchmen began were withdrawn The
managers declared that within few days
the conditions would again be normal
SEATTLE, Wash, Dec. S-The freight
blockade, due to the switchmens strike, is
lieve that normal conditions will be re-
stored in four or five days
PerishabJe freight in limited amount is
being received aDd dead freight is ac-
cepted subject TO delay.