Norwich bulletin., 1922-08-12

New York. Aug. 11.-(By the A. P.)-I The executive heads of 14s American railways tonight oonditionally accepted President Harding's second proposal for settlemen of the nationwide rail | strike This official announcement was made shortly after seven o'clock following prolonged conference at the Grand Cen trai terminal surrounded by the greatest secrecy. Oricfallv. it was merely stated that committee representing virtually all the railroads in the country would wait on President Harding at the White House tomorrow afternoon with reply to his program drafted by committee ap- pointed by the Association of Railway Executives and approved by the body az whole. The conditions which went into the Hcceptance. according to uhomclal sources. were:
 First-That the presidents request that the strikers be taken back should bs interpreted that as many strikers should be re-hired as should be needed by the roads to bring their shop forces 70 normal
 second-That such strikers should be taken back uneonditionally and that the railroad labor board later should determine whether they were to regain their seniority privileges.
 President Harding had suggested that an strikers be given back their old jobs e-d that the question of seniority be eft to sAe railroad labor board to be thrzshed out later.
 Although a formal statement 10 the press issued after the meeting by T.. Dewitt Cuyler chairman of he Associa- ten of Railway Executives, set forth .hat the action of the railway execu- tiyes cannot be made public until 1t has ssen submitted 10 the president and Robert s. Blnkerd. assistant to Mir. cuyier. declined 10 state what had iranspired al today's session. this state nent nevertheless was obtained from MT. Binkerd:
 aot looked upon by the executives ss a compromise on the question of senIor- ty. It is. however. reply which we rust will be we'll received by both the president and the country.
 Legally, we believe. our stand will se beyond reproach. It is neither an .zronistic to the presidents proposal, sor 10 the stand announced in the execu lives reply of August to the first pro posal submitted by MT. Harding. il rhich they expressed a determination t'
 
 and 10 new men who. had been hired t' ,aks the places Of strikers"
 President HardinEs first proposal wa hree-horned.
 The first two conditions-that tn rarr decisions of the railroad .laboi ooard must be recognized by both side and that lawsuits arising from Tn ,t-ik- must be dismissed for settlemen ,v the board-were accepted by tn sx.cutives.
 m, thire-that strikers oe reinstate -itb their seniority privileges unim .zirsd-uas zhtiy rejected on tn rround that pledges had been made { the railroad employees and forces re -ruitsd since the strike.
 A preliminary conference attended b --prezentatives of eastern lines ushere In todzys major zssemblage. AlthouE no formal announcement was made cor corning matters discussed at the preln mary session. it was generally undei stood that the eastern executives formr lated the fight to the finish policy O rsnlority which they later introduced the general meeting.
 Alter all the executives had gone ini session behind closed doors. a furry va rzused by the sudden appearance in tf ante-roorn of Haley Fiske. president Inc Metropolitan Life Insurance com pahy. a heavy holder of rail securities The report rapidly spread that he hs arrived with an important message fro financial interests.
 After his presence had been al aouneed at the conference. he remain' In the ante-room. where he was joint by Mrs Cuyier. IL later was announc, hat his name had not been mention, Tn the conference, and from Mfr. Fiskc -fics came denial that his presence ou ude the conference chamber had al connection with the rail strike.
 Early in today's session there dew, eped group nature in the discu sion-
 For two hours the heads of the val aus groups struggled to crystalline sen ment In favor of a reply which wou either accept outright or reject as CT pbsticslly the Harding plan. For reje tion were the eastern chiefs. stand soiidiy back of the policy first expre, ed by Lorse. head of the eastern prs iderts' conference.
 Behind him stood representatives the New York Central the Pennsyly nia. the Erie and other of the more DO erfui reads operating east of chica and north Of the bituminous coal mini districts.
 The western and southern delegation as became evident hours before, fav, d unqualified acceptance Of the DIT dents plan President Felton of Chicago Great Western and Judge l., stt of the Union Pacific were tn Epokesmeu.
 The first group contended that tt had already defeated the purposes the strike that their shops wera flu manned and their surplus equpms suficient to 20 through any crisis safety.
 The second group declared their e dition far more critical and urged q they be permitted to take hack tn men on the basis of the presidents s restion. to save them from complete rnorailzation at the heavy trafic per of the year.
 Alter two hours of debate in which became apparent that unanmous act on any reply could not be attempted committee of seven was appointed draW-uD. two replies 10 be submitted the vote of the whole conference.
 Hours later the committee amour had drafted two replies the first