New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-21
ShoprrlenHintat
Cancellation LIN
Answer To-day
Seniority Deadlock Is Only
Carnouflage of Roads TO
Hide Adjustment Board
Issue, According to Jewell
Next Move Up to Unions
shopcraft Heads Devote the
Day to Preparing Reply;
Leader May Visit Harding
By Gilman Parker


for settlement Of the strike of rail
road shopmen underwent a breathing
spell to-day, while three of the four
sides to the controversy roads,
the Labor Board and the public.
awaited the next move, expected to
come from B. M. jewell, leader of the
strikers.
Although he issued brief state
ment early in the day commenting on
the announced stand of the railroads
that they would not restore the strik-
ers' seniority rights, Mr.. Jewell passed
most of the day in seclusion with the
heads of the six federated shopcrafts,
where the new turn in affairs was re-
viewed and course Of action mapped
out.
Jewell May Go to Washington
Tonight Mr.. jewell said that no
formal statement would be put out on
behalf of the strikers until late to-
morrow runror was circulated that
he might 60 to Washington to see
President Harding, who is reported to
have sent him a communication rela-
tive to the strike several days ago.
Mr.. Jewell characterized the insist
ence of the roads in the matter Of
seniority rights as "camoufage intend
ed to cover up the real issue-the Gre
alton of national adjustment board"
"The railroads know they cannot JUS
tify their fight against the national
adjustment board before the public"
he said. "The board would take work
ing rules disputes off the hands of the
Labor Board, except in cases of ap-
peals, and leave the latter free to de-
vote practically all its time to wage
questions"
Mr.. Jewell also was quoted as say
ing that "the strikers will have the
railroads on their knees within two
weeks" but later he denied having
said this. His denial was taken as an
indication that the statement to be
issued tomorrow will not be markedly
conciliatory.
Agreement on Board Possible
Officially, at least, the adjustment
board question is no longer chief
issue in the strike, as Ben W. Hooper,
chairman of the Labor Board, declared
in his statement yesterday that there
was no serious obstacle in the way Of
an agreement on that point.
Another statement made on behalf
Of the strikers came from John Scott
vice-presdent of the railway en-
ployees' department of the American
Federation of Labor, who said that "the
roads have taken an untenable position
in the eyes of the public with their
seniority rights stand"
Business interests throughout the
country, and especially where the
strikers have their homes, will not
back the roads in that position for
moment" said Mr.. Scott. "The strikers
and their families have too much
standing in the communities in which
they live. What the roads are doing is
taking advantage Of the Labor Board
resolutions backing the employment of
strike breakers, which was a damn-fool
move, playing right into the rail man
agement hands"
Mr.. Scott added that it would be
wholly impossible" for the roads to
obtain sufficient men to run their shops
properly, declaring with 100000 shop
men on strike, all the roads in the
country have been able to get only
5000 men or less to replace them"
An unofficial survey made here as to
the coal stocks on hand possessed by
ten large roads entering Chicago re-
vealed that nearly all are facing
serious shortage. Here are the results
of the survey: