The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-12-21
President Woodrow Wilson
Has Taken Hand
WIRE FROM WASHINGTON
Labor Body To Make Probe OF
Trouble In St. Paul and
Minneapolis
From Thursdays Daily.

afternoon shortly before two o'clock
and announced that the strike was
off. He stated also that he had in
structed Adjutant General Rhinow to
order the home guards back to their
own towns. He thanked the men for
their display of loyalty and the spirit
they had displayed in responding to the
call.
The Mankato home guards will re-
turn to this city tomorrow morning at
1925.
The men gave the governor cheers
and they expressed their delight at the
prospect of coming home by singing
and dancing.
Washington, Dec. 13.-Secretary
Lawson of the Minneota Federation
of Labor today telegraphed the strik-
ers in st. Paul and Minneapolis to re-
turn to work in view of the order for
an investigation by the president and
labor commission. Sec'y. Baker laid the
situation before President Wilson, and
then telegraphed the labor commits
sion, now in San Francisco, to stop in
Minnesota and take up the question
of a settlement. Lawson said it he
could oct kilograms to the twin cities
Immediately the strikers would re-
turn to work shortly after noon.
st. Paul, December 13.-Labor lead
ers claimed a victory in the govern
ment action declaring their aim has
been to obtain federal intervention.
1t is impossible to ascertain the
number of men who actually respond
ed to the strike call in the two cities
because of conflicting reports.
st. Paul, December 13.-After an
all night session, labor leaders OF
Minneapolis and st. Paul confirmed
the order for strike of all union men
in the two cities, effective at ten
o'clock this morning, in sympathy with
the street car employees demanding
permission to wear union buttons
despite the contrary ruling by the
State Safety commission. When asked
how many thousand men would be out
union officials replied: wait and see. .
A flash" from the United Press
to The Free Press at 10:30 o'clock
this morning stated that the general
strike was on. The leaders claimed
10000 men out and others going out
every minute.
President May Take Hand.
That President Wilson may take a
hand in the matter before the appoint
ed hour for the strike is apparent
from long telephone communication
with George Lawson of the Minnesota
Federation of Labor, who is now in
Washington. Following conference
between President Wilson and Presi-
dent Gompers this morning President
Lawson advised the st. Paul unions
not to walk out until the appointed
hour.
Saloons Are Closed.
All saloons have been closed and
will remain closed until after the
present trouble Street cars were
running today, and the management
stated that schedules were about nor
NAL Six more home guard companie:
arrived in the city today from outside
towns, and in addition to the $500
guards 1000 civilians have been sworr
in by Sheriff Davidson, and all are
heavily armed. Purveyors of coal, milk
ETC., have stated that they will strike
This has led to stampede by the
housewives to lay in supplies.
The fact that Christmas is approach.
ing seems to have little effect on the
majority of the men, but some few
did express the idea that the kiddie.
might not have full stockings if the
strike were called.
Strike Called of.
st. Paul, December 13.-The gen.
eral strike called for general tie VI
of all industries in this city, was
called off at 125 this afternoon.
At ten o'clock this morning laborins
men began to walk out and shortly
after the appointed hour for callins
the same between $4,000 and 10000
men had walked out. The striker:
were perfectly orderly. The 20 be.
low zero weather may have had some.
thing to do with this.
The st. Paul mandamus proceed.
ings to compel the Twin City RAPID
Transit company to give better serv
ice will be made next week. A crasl
occurred on the loop between two car
run by non union men, and some O
the passengers were injured by fyin,
glass.
Pinch in Food Situation.
Despite the fact that the strike wa
of very short duration, the pinch in tn
food situation was already beginnin,
to be felt especially in regard to mill
deliveries and coal deliveries, owin
to the fact that the delivery men ais
walked out. For the past three day
housewives in anticipation of the i'm
pending strike had laid in a larg
supply of food, possibly enough 70
the next ten days. The strike of tn
coal teamsters was hampering cleo
trio work owing to the shortage O
fuel in some places.
The Presidents Intervention.
The presidents Intervention in tn
matter was taken in the form OF.
message to Secretary OF War Bake
stating that the situation in the twi
cities was of such a critical naur
from federal standpoint. owing to tn
fact that two thirds of the iron ore il
the United States is mined adjacen
to St Paul and MINNEAPOLIS. Thi