Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-08-12
ENGINE EMEN MAY
JOIN IN STRIKE
STONE DECLARES
Union Officials Are Not
Ready to Make Reply to
Harding's Proposals for
Settling WaIkout.

washington, Aug, IL (Dy the
Associated Press) After several
hours conference behind closed
doors, Chief officials of all the
railroad labor organizations ad-
journed tonight until 8 a. m. to-
morrow, declaring themselves stiF
unready to make response to Presi-
dent Harding's final strike settle
ment offer to the shopmen, and
still unready to make public the
policy under which unions not now
on strike intend to follow in the
circumstances.
Warren, S. Stone, grand chief of
the engineers brotherhood and
chairman OF the meeting, an
nounced at its close. however, that
both these expressions would be
forthcoming tomorrow Officials
of the seven unions on strike will
reply to the president for them
selves, Mr.. Stone said. while the
remainder of the organizations in
tended to join in a declaration OF
their position to the public.
May Tie Up Transportation.
Mr.. Stone, in commenting on the
Walkouts of trainmen in various
places, now progressing. said that
he had reports from fifty terminals
where our men are facing condi-
tions just like those" and added
that there might be walkouts" at
such terminals completely tying
up transportation"
At the White House the admin
istration's view of these walkouts,
attributed by the union leaders to
the presence Of armed guards was
said to be that no strikes anywhere
of any character, which had as
their purpose the preventing of the
government from authorizing
agencies of law and order to pro-
tect life and property would have
countenance or effect.
President Harding, it was said.
does not intend to put the govern
ment into a threatening posture in
the industrial situation.
Through r. M. Jewell, chairman
of the group of strike leaders, as
well as Mr.. Stone. insisted that
only general discussions" had
marked the prolonged union ses-
sion, subordinate officials, partie-
ularly Of the train service broth
erhoods, were continuously in and
out OF the gathering.
Mr.. Stone said he was constant
ly in receipt today of reports from
strike centers and that the in
structions to train service men
were the same--that they should
not continue work at points where
their lives were endangered.
Strike Not Broken.
"One-half of the locomotives
running today are doing so in vio-
lation of the safety provisions of
law, anyway" he declared. "as the
Interstate Commerce Commission's
bureau of safety reports should
show. This shopmen's strike has
not been broken anywhere"
While the formal announcement
of their conclusion was thus with
held the officers of the striking
shop crafts organizations were UNI
varying in holding out the impress
sion that the presidents offer-the
heart OF which is the proposal to
leave the seniority status of return
ing strikers to decision of the rail-
road labor board, would meet re-
lection. The purpose of the gath
ering was merely to consider what
the policy of the other unions
would be. they said.
Now that it has come down to-
a question of seniority retention,
said Martin. F. Ryan. head OF the
carmens Motherhood. W h i h
among the striking organization
numbers the most men. 'it isn't
the shipments fight. It's the fight
of every labor organization in the
railroad service"
Hooper Did Not Attend.
The only brotherhood chief Of
ficial missing from the gathering
today was w. G. Lee of the tram
men. His place was taken by W.
N. Doak, a vice president of the
order. Chairman Hooper or the
railroad labor board was in the
city during the day. but did not
attend the session, though It was
understood that he had conferred
with some of the participants pc
fore hand. Other than this, the
was not represented at
the sessions. President Harding
was closely occupied with issues
relating to the industrial situation
and Chairman Cummins OF the
senate interstate commerce coln-
mittee and Senator Pomerehe,
democrat, Ohio. one of its mem
bers, were among his callers. Sen
ator Pomerene said on leaving that
he saw no present need for emer-
gency legislation to strengthen the
capacity to cope WIN
.o1
Senator Cummins was said TO
have begun preparation of a tenta-
tive draft Of emergency legislation
under which the government woulo
he authorized to take over the
transportation system and to take
such other action as deemed neces-
sary. but it was emphasized tnat
such preparation should not be IN
terpreted as indicating that a pro-
gram along these lines had peen
adopted, or that its necessity was
now foreseen.