Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-12-01
RISE IN GRAIN PRICES
FIRST VISIBLE EFFECT
Order for Maikout Cones While
Managers Committee is Negot;at-
ira for Arbitration Under Erdman
Lsw-uricn President Declares
Men Are Ready for Fight.
(By Associated Press

ST. PAUL. MINI. Nov. 30.-After
u days Cf negotiating between the
Switchmens Unien oINOrth America
and the joint commission of railroad
mana gers, representing the railroads
OF the Northwest, strike became
EN- ciive al p. m. tonight. The men
demanded an increase Of six cents an
hour. double pay for Sunday and
overtime in excess OF ten hours. Inc
men employed by the various roads
running west and north OF st. Paul
and Lake Superior TO the PACING
coast.
The first effect OF the strike was
a SHARP bulge in the price of wheat
in the Chicago grain market late to-
day. As the roads entering ST. Paul,
Duluth and Superior are largely grain
carriers frcm the west, the prospect
Of interruption 10 this traffic cause
some to fear delayed deliveries OF
gran.
Tonight both sides of the dispute
issued statems nts. 30. !. - =,
Tfe rasfway- Managers conrni1rtce,
in a statement, after setting forth
the demands made CT them by the
switchmen, says IN part:
Offered an Increase.
THE managers committee offered
the switchmen ar increase of 20
cents per day of ten hours in the rates
of pay of, switchmen employed in the
territory west OF Havre, Montana, on
the Great Northern Railway, and west
of Billings. Montana, on the Northern
Pacific Railway.
The attention OF the switchmen
was called to the fact that in 1906
the switchmen We're granted a larger
perce ntage Ct increase than any other
class of employees in train service
At present the wages of the switch
men average over 500 a month
The statement then recites that III
submitting its final answer to The
switchmen the managers. committee
suggested that the demands be sub
mitted to arbitration under the pro-
visions of the Erdnan act. The
sw.tchmen declined this suggestion.
Switchmen Wouldn't Wait.
ne staten tutI SAYS l1-At al
telegram vas addrC ssed TO Martin a
Knapp. of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. ard Charles p. Neil.
United States commissioner Of labor,
asking them 10 act as mediatcTs IN
der the ETdman act.
The statemen. adds: Before the
conferences with Messrs. Knapp ard
Neil had begun. despite the under
standing reported in the conferences
th7t mediation under the ETdman act
should be evoked. and without the
knowledge Of either the managers COM
mittee or med.ators. a strike order
was issued bv the switchmcn's COM
miftee directing the switchmen of the
thirteen northwestern railroads 10
cease work at s p m. November 30.
IN the event that their full demands
had rct been conceded.
This VOCATION Of good fsi;h en-
sara~eed the negotiations that Sue
cossful mediation became smpCssible
and led to the demand BY Messrs-
RnzDp and Nell. addressed TO roth
.he Managers committee md the
SW-fCn0ifu lndI Itf fyNtivffi-1 "
submitted to arbitration under me
terms q the ETdman act. To This
proposal the managers. committee
gave rs willing assent. hut tac
swi;chmen abss-uteIy declined 81"
Predicts Great Tie-Up.
Sge7k'ug Tor she switchmen tonight
President Hawley said in part:
I have never seen 2 tine when tne
men we're 20 thcrouahly orsanizrd and
readv Ter concerted action a. n the
o-eeent instance This strike viii TO-
rrit m fhe most complete t'e-up 81
railroad iraaic In the territory 81
fertod thai has over been known. TOT
oven excc-tir~ the great strike ~
rSst From now IN not switch on
rir. viii r1cve n the territory 10
tween rho bead Ct the Lakes ard ne
Pacific roast
we Cd not wish a strike AM
,.a-d er.~y possible means 70 a-oii
one.
We have advised every member
that from fir nor emf the strike De-