The Washington herald., 1921-10-19
SAYS RAILROADS.
And UNIONS WILL
YIELD 70 HARDING
Official Is Confident Con-
ference Will Avert
Strike.

CHICAGO, Oct. 1S-Through the
medium of the Railroad Labor
Board President Harding is pre-
pared TO take steps which, accord
ing to unquestionable authority, he
hopes will avert the threatened ma
tion-wide railroad strike.
The leaders of the big five broth
erhoods, who have issued a strike
call to the train service organiza-
tions to take effect October 30, will
be given the Executive viewpoint
here Thursday. according to this
authority.
The labor board will not act un-
/ der the limited powers granted by
! the transportation act, il was stat
| ed. The meeting with the union
! leaders will be Informal" so the
| board will be acting more as per-
| sonal representatives than as an
arbitration party, it was learned.
Pressure on Rail Executives.
Steps will also be taken, il was
| stated, which are expected to lead
railroad executives 20 withdraw the
| intended application for a 10 per
cent additional wage cut
I'm view Of circumstances there
is every reason to believe that
neither the railroad unions nor the
! executives will act against the
Presidents wishes" IL was stated
by an official able to speak with
authority tonight
The railroad board will meet
with the representatives Of the big
five brotherhoods Thursday. The
meeting will be informal. The
board will not act under the pow
ers granted it by the transportation
act. The men will be asked for a
full statement of their plans, and
the board will then offer sugges-
tions.
Predicts Each VIII Yield.
There has been considerable
| criticism of some existing legisla-
| tion affecting railroads and rail-
road employees. There has been
criticism of some pending railroad
legislation. And there is legislation
that might be enacted.
The American people are look
| ing to President Harding to avert
the calamity which the proposed
strike would create. The President
has great powers and his office
great prestige, but in addition TO
this he is the head of. the party
which has a large majority in both
houses of Congress.
TT can be said with almost COM
plete assurance that when the dis
cussion with the representatives OF
the men is concluded that neither
the unions nor the railroads will
desire to ~ in the face of his
| wishes"
1t was stated that legislation is
possible that might abolish the
railroad board altogether and place
more powers with the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Important Bill at stake.
It was also said that the rail-
roads. with the $500. .0OO, 900 refund
ing bill pending, could be very rea-
| sonably expected to bow to the
Presidents wishes.
The recent statement of the pub
lie members of the railroad board
urging that the railroads withdraw
their expressed intention of asking
for further 10 per cent wage cut
and the translation of the S4OO. .0OO.-
600 wage cut of July into reduced
freight rates was declared to be
more than the mere opinion Of the
three board members themselves.
Chairman r. NJ. Barton, Vice
Chairman Ben Hooper. and G. w
w. Hangar. the three public men,
bers of the Railroad Board. re-
turned here late today and went
into session with the six other
members of the board to outline
the plan of the conference with
the brotherhood Naders Thursday.
VIII Meet Union Chiefs.
On that day they will meet with
w. S. Stone, grand chief of the
engineers; w. S. Carter, president
.hof the fremen and enginemen: l.
Z. Sheppard. president of the Order
of Railway Conductors: w. G. Lee
president of the Brotherhood OF
Railway Trainmen, and T. C.
Cashen. president of the Switch.
mems Union.
The action Of the board in call.
ing the brotherhood chiefs here
will in no way stop the shopcrafts
unions from proceeding with theii
strike deliberations, II was stated
by President B. NJ. Jewell
I'VE have received no word from
the board that we are included in
this conference" he said. I'VE will
continue our group conferences. al
which every union in our organi-
zation will thresh out its owl
problems and then meet in a gen.
eral conference for a final decision
and plan Of action"
There are 47e.oO0 men in the shoI
Nave voted by an overwhelming
majority to strike. but their actor
lis independent Of the brotherhoods
plans. although the vote was alsC
taken as a protest against the july
wage cut Of IL per cent
contiNsed on Pd0s Ttso.