New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-25
Trade Revival Blanketed
by impending Break.
Down, They Warn; Ask
Him to Operate Roads
Has Power to Act.
Dauggherty Holds
Cabinet Gets Problem To.
day; Roads Pressed to
Restore Seniority Rights

WASHINGTON, July "a (By The
Associated Press) President Harding
has been told by some of his advisers,
1t become known to-day that the gov
ernment cannot permit the break down
of the country's railroad service to go
any further. The President, who is
now in personal charge of the efforts
to end the strike of railroad shopmen,
also has been told by Attorney General
Daugherty that he can lawfully take
over the roads and operate them il
the emergency requires such action.
The Cabinet will be called on at it's
regular session tomorrow to consider
the situation, and in official circles to-
night the impression was gained that
developments had reached a point
where new move by the Administra-
tion could be expected.
Official reports have been received. It
is known, giving details of the extent
to which the strike has been respon-
sible for the almost total blanketing
of the healthy business revival in the
United States, and while instances Of
direct interference with the United
States mails have recently been con-
spicuously absent, postal inspectors
to-day recorded the further annulmcnt
of important mail trains.
Stand of Railroads Criticized
Some Administration advisers who
favor drastic move by the govern
ment are known to hold to the
view that President Harding should
demand that the railroad executives
make every effort to restore interstate
commerce, especially to the extent of
abandoning their stand on the senior
ity issue-said to be the crux of the
whole strike ituation-whereupon the
disputants would be expected to come
together on the matter of fair living
wage for railroad employees, conceded
TO be the remaining important issue.
If the railroad executives refused,
it was declared, the President, salts
ned ne has full authority and duty
delegated by the Constitution to main
tain interstate commerce and the mail
service, could proceed to operate the
railroads. While the Esch- -Cummins
act would be invoked for the purpose
as far as that would apply, it was said.
the Presidents main reliance would be
the duty "intrusted" to the Chief Ex~
ecutive under the Constitution.
The President, it is understood. has
been assured by his advisers that his
authority for decisive action, without
recourse to Congress, is without ques-
ton. TWO courses would be omen to
MIN in order physically to operate the
railroads, it was said. First, he could
request the strikers to return to work
under the government operation at the
old. wage scale and with seniority
rights restored. If this failed, then
Federal troops could be called upon to
assure operation of the trains.
Seniority Fight Is Paramount
The first course. the President is un-
derstood to believe. would be acceptable
to the strikers, who would see in
it the capitulation Of the railroad ex-
ecutives and a victory won for labor.
The chief contention of the strikers.
it was said, has developed into a fight
for seniority, with the wage dispute
becoming subordinate.
There is little disposition in govern
ment circles to consider meeting the
emergency by actually putting the
s,OfNAHAHcHt OQordClOU.
Powers given the Interstate Commerce
Commission in the transportation act
were cited as making this step un-
necessary. Terms of the act make it
clear, it was said, that this body in
any transportation emergency might
suspend ali railroad rules and regula-
tions governing car service, inter
change of equipment and facilities as
between roads, and create such
agencies as it found necessary to en-
force its rulings. The sweeping grant
Of authority would be first used in
connection with the coal distribution
plan, but official opinion existed that
it might be extended to deal with other
phases OF the transportation situation.
This plan is not looked on as afford
ing settlement of the strike crisis,
although it might be extremely help
full in enabling the roads to move coal
with the utmost expedition once the
railroad strike was settled.
Some hope of settlement of the strike
was held out in Administration circles.
The belief was expressed by RESPONSE
Bile officials that the roads eventually
would yield on the question of senior
ity. The possibility also was believed
to exist that individual roads would
make settlements with the men. Some
of the Presidents close advisers in the
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