The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-17

Railway executives who declared their willingness last night to attend any meeting called by the railroad labor board with a view to effecting settlement that would not nullify. but would uphold and carry out the boards decisions" stayed away from their offices
 B. M. Jewell. leader of the striking shopmen. visited his almost deserted Headquarters for short time only. l He read the rail executives state ment with quiet grin. but refused to comment on 1t,
 T can't say a word. son--not ono word, Ben Hooper, chairman of the labor board, sighed wearily, throw i ing his arm across the shoulders of the reporter, who had found him alone in the offices of the board. Leaders Optimistic Despite the silence of the leaders with accompanying reports of a tacir , armistice or truce to allow fuller | consideration of points brought out during, the week at mediation con- | ferences, hopes of an early settle- 1 ment were expressed freely in both railway and labor circles. although no tangible basis for these expecta- tons was given in any case. 1 One of the factors quoted to jus | tify a belief that the drift was to- ward peace despite the failure last week of Mir. Hooper's efforts to bring 1 the labor leaders and the executives together, was the statement of R. A. Henning, general chairman of the l federated shop crafts of the north west, that only the refusal of eastern roads to agree to reinstate striking shop crafts workers with their full seniority rights, Is preventing set l clement of tho strike as far as the northwest roads are concerned. Return to Work
 The railroads throughout, it was declared. have insisted that their men return to work as one of the first steps toward peace. and the belief was expressed that the restoration cf l the rights sought alone would not prove a great stumbling block In ,ha way of full settlement. In this l connection member of the laaOr board asserted that the roads have stopped the recruiting of men to re- place the strikers. at least to a large extent.
 On the other question at Issue outside contracting for shop work. modification of certain rules and working agreements, the establish ment of conciliation boards and wages-it was declared that most of | the roads already had agreed to I, abolish outside contracting as ordered i by the labor board and also had agreed to the early establishment of the conciliation board until the fed eration tract. But two questions. 1t was asserted. were not at issue rules and wages. both of which might again be brought before the labor board for decision on the de- mand of the men for q rehearing Tn the case of the maintenance of way men, 1t was pointed out. the board averted walkout by agreeing to an immediate consideration of Ap- peals for wage increases on the ground that government figures showed that the cost of living had increased since 1t rendered the wage reduction decision which became et- j fcctive on July 1. simultaneously with the calling of the shopmen's strike.
 Trains Cancelled
 Reports of the cancellation ot | trains because of the coal shortage or the growing lack of equipment. and of the strike outbreaks, con tinued to come in. Union leaders also predicted some accessions to their ranks tomorrow from the sta- tionary firemen and oilers and the clerks. although they refused to even hazard a guess as to the number of men who might be affected by any new walkouts.
 In Texas Governor Neff still was refusing to order state troops to 1 Denison, where outbreaks were threatened At Cleveland, O.. the second outbreak of the strike last night resulted in the killing of a striking shop worker near the spot l tContInued on page two)