Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-07-31

Washington, July 31.-Presidept
Harding is preparing to exert eXecu
tive pressure TO break the opposition
10 his compromise proposal for end
ing the strike of railway shopmeT
manifested by the heads of certain
large Eastern roads.
This opposition has become formid-
able, and already has caused loss
Of . degree Of the optimism Of the
President and his advisors when the
plan was perfected after a series of
conferences with The leaders Of both
sides.
The opponents Of any compromise,
such as l.. F.LOree, president OF the
Delaware and Hudson; Whiteford
Cole. president of the Louisville,
Nashville and Chattanooga, and Ger
tain others are using all their nflu-
ence to swing other executives into
line against acceptance, particularly
of the proposal to restore seniority
rights to the strikers when they re-
turn TO work.
IL is a foregone conclusion that the
workers will accept the proposal.
Bert VI. Jewell, national director OF
the strike, and William Fl. Johnston,
president of the International Asso-
citation of Machinists. the two really
powerful leaders Of the strikers,
have strongly intimated that the COM
promise is acceptable and have so
assured President Harding.
No definite information concerning
the means to be employed by the
President to bring the necessary pres
sure TO bear on the railway eXecu-
tives to force acceptance of the plan
is obtainable. 1t is understood that if
il becomes APPARENT that Loree and
other opponents are mastering satfi-
ciert strength to ieOpardize favor
able vote at the meeting of railway
executives q be held in New York
Tuesday, Mr.. Harding will send a
personal emissary to the meeting and
demand that the managers accept the
plan.
Secretary Of Commerce Hoover has
been selected as the emissary in the
event that it thought necessary TO
send a representative of the Admin
istratiOn, according to information OBJ
tanned from an authoritative source
last night.
Mr.. Hoover has devoted most of his
attention TO the coal crisis, but as the
strikers are interlocking in that the
settlement of one is essential to the
amelioration of the i'll effects on IN
dustry of the other he has kept in
close touch with ell phases of both.
President Harding some time age
reached the conclusion that the rail
wa strike is the "key" to the induSt-
rial chaos threatening as the result
of the twin coal and rail strikes. He
believes that if he can effect q set
tlement of the rail controversy the
national plan Of coal distribution and
conservation worked out by Mr..
Hoover will permit more extended eff
forts to work out peace plan that
will eliminate an immediate recur-
renee of a strike of coal miners.
In bringing the coal operators into
line with the Hoover plan the threat
of Governmental regulation through
emergency priority of a car place
ment and movement or Federal opera
ton was eminentiy successful. PreSi-
dent Harding has expressed the be-
lief. and is understood TO have receiv-
cd n formal opinion from Attorney
General Daugherty, that ne has the
authority to take over and operate the
railroads of the country in an emer-
gency.
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion has declared the existence OF
such an emergency and it would only
be a step from the present partial
control by the commission to the same
absolute control exercised during the
war if the President should decide
that it was necessary to the well be-
ing of the public. In the latter event