The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-12-01
EACH SIDE PUTS FORTH
CONFLICTING STATEMENTS
Railroads Attempting 10 move
Only Passenger Trains; Grain
Market OemOTa|Iled
tBy Associated Press.)

st. Paul. MINI. Dec. both the
railroads aud striking switchmen OF
the Northwest claimed TO have the
situation well In hand today How
ever. the railroads are attempting TO
move only passenger traffic In Du
luth grain men have been heavily hit
by the strike and the Duluth market
Il In a confusion
Every man engaged in handling
glaln faces loss through being forced
to break contracts.
ST. Paul, Dec IL Swltchmen of the
northwest from st. Paul to the Pacific
ccast, to the number OF 2,aO0 left
their work al o'clock last night and
lnaugurated strike for an increase
in wages. Freight service IN the al,
fected territory Is seriously interfered
with and unless there Is a speedy SET
Element Uf differences situation ins
yolving the freight service OF the en-.
tire country aud perhaps the passeng
tf service - ledleu
From The Railroads Viewpoint
In speaking Of the causes OF the
strike the railway managers commit
tee issued the following:
THE switchmen In the northwest
territory made simultaneous demands
on Il railroad companies centering
IN the Twin Cities. The demands were
Tor double pay for Sundays, holidays
and overtime. an advance OF 90 cents
per day OF 10 hours In the wages, q
modification Of the rule providing for
the payment OF penalty in case OF fail
nre to permit switchmen TO secure
their meals lon the middle OF their
shifts al stated period. which con
templates double pay In cases where
il became necessary TO work Il pof
tion OF the meal hour, and the elm
ination of The physical examination
and the age limit placed upon
swlehmen entering The service.
Five Conferences Held.
Five conferences were held IN St
paul In which the switchmen In no de
tan reeeded from their demands which
q conceded. would have entailed an
additional expense for switching serv-
ice from 40 to As per cent.
"The managers COMMITTEES offered
the swltchmen an increase OF 20 cents
per day OF 10 hours In the rates OF
pay OF sWtehmen employed In the
territory west Of Hayre, Mont, on The
Great Northern railway. and west OF
Billings, Mont. on the Northern Paei.
fIe railway
"rhe attention of the -witchmen
was called to the fact that IN 1896 the
switchmen were granted a larger per-
centage OF increase than any other
cllss Of employees in train service At
the present rate the wages Of the
switchmen average over 500 month
Arbitration Asked.
The statement then recltes that on
November %, after a discussion OF the
proposal TO arbtrate under the terms
OF the Erdman act al The suggestion
of President Hawley. or thee switch-
mems union, "a Joint Telegram was ad-
dressed 10 Martin A Knapp, OF the in
terstate commerce commission, and
Charles r. NeiIl United States com.
missioner Of labor. seeking to have
them act as mediators under the Erd-
man law. The statement further
stys.
November 29, Monday. was select
Cd for the conference between Messrs
Knapp and Neill and the railroads and
switehmen al 81. Paul
About November %. before the con
ferences with Messra Knapp and Neill
had begun. despite the understanding
reached in the conferences, that media
lion under the Erdman act should be
evoked and without the knowledge Oh
either the managers committee or
mediai0rs. d strike order was issued
by the sNitehmen's committee direct.
ing the swltchmen Of the 13 northwest
efn railroads 10 cease work At .. m,
Noember 60. in the event that their
full demands had not been eeded
Good Faith violatedv
This violation Of good faith so EN-
bafrassed The negotiations that sue
cesgful mediation became impossible
and led 10 the demand By Messrs.
knapp and Neill. addressed to both
the managers committed and the
swlfchmen. that the controversy be
salt,4.4istsa - 49, ssita zt.cr 10
terms OF the Erdman at. To ibis pro.
posal the managers committee gave
Its Nilling assent. but the swiichmea
absolutely declined i
The s~itzhmens sids
! Speaking for the switchmeu Pfesl.