The Washington herald., 1922-07-21
PLAN LEGISLATION
Privately Admitted Par
ley Failed to Offer
Solution.
TRAIN SERVICE CUT
AS HOPE VANISHES
US. Appeals Court Backs
Labor Board in
Decision.

Legislation may be drafted to
bring about a settlement of the
railroad strike which. according to
government officials last night, has
become very serious"
Five executives of Eastern rail-
roads met with Senator Albert B.
Cummins. of Iowa. Senator Frank
B. Kellogg, of Minnesota, and Sem
ator James E. Watson. of Indiana,
at the willard Hotel last night. to
discuss whether legislation could
settle the differences between the
striking shopmen and the railroad
officials.
Conferring with the Senators
were: w. w. Atterbury, vice presi-
dent of the Pennsylvania in charge
of operations; Thomas Dewitt Guy
Ter. director of the Pennsylvania,
and chairman of the railroad ex-
ecutives committee; E. J. Pearson.
president of the New York, New
Haven and Hartford; Frank H. AL
fred. president of the Pere Mar
quette, and z. F. Loree, president
of the Delaware and Hudson.
Little Progress Made.
when the conference adjourned
shortly after midnight. the rail ex-
ecutives refused to comment, stat
ing that Senator Cummins would
issue all statements and that they
had nothing new to report"
Before making his statement pub
lie Senator Cummins stated that
little or no progress had been made
during the meeting"
Senators Kellogg. Watson and
myself had a conference with some
of the Eastern railroad executives
for the purpose of talking over the
strike and ascertaining, IL possible,
the exact issues between the roads
and the strikers" said Senator
Cummins.
I'VE wante to discuss whether
there Is any legislation that would
remove the dificulty in the way of
adjustment. We discussed the sit
uation freely and frankly.
Fail to Reach Solution.
The views of the shopmen have
already been disclosed at Chicago.
The object of the conference was
solely to secure information on this
very kind of subject"
The Senator stated that there
were a number of persons whom he
would have to consult with before
he could state whether the confer
ence last night would result in
drafting legislation tending to bring
the rail strike to close.
All of the rail executives, with
the exception of Cuyler. state that
they were leaving the city" i'm
m.diately after the conference had
been concluded.
Privately ii was stated by the
ccnferees that the conference failed
in finding a solution Of the strike
problem. The administration spokes-
men present manifested slight hope
os immediate betterment of the
present chaotic conditions.
Trains Cut Service.
CHICAGO, July 20.-Curtailment
of rail service throughout the Mid
die West featured the first day fol-
lowing the refusal of railroad ex-
ecutives to restore seniority rights
to striking shopmen. pending a pro-
posed settlement Of the walkout.
Local and suburban trains were
taken off at scores of division
points and fast trains were can
celled wherever there was dupli-
cation.
This situation was explained by
railroad executives as due prin-
cipally to coal shortage and by
fail union leaders as the result of
widespread walkouts of strike
breakers and employees not hitherto
affected by the strike.
Both Strikes Responsible.
Information revealed that a COM
bination of the coal and rail strikes
was responsible in most instances.
Railroads have coal supplies ranging
from thirty to ninety days. Rail-
road shops, however, are having
extreme dificulty in doing locomo-
tive repair work and in many shops
practically no work on bad order
engines and cars Is being done.
Ordinary roundhouse work. like OIL
ing and fixing CRATES is being done,
but there is little expert strip
ping"
The Labor Board has the power
not only to set wage and working
rule conditions on railroads, but to
make decisions on cases dealing in
directly with these questions, ac-
cording to a decision of the Circuit
Court of Appeals here late today.
This decision will have an Inn
portant bearing on the present rail-
road strike, as the original dispute
involved the forming of a COM
pany union" by the Pennsylvania
Railroad. which refused to meet
union ofhcials of the federated
shop crafts. The Pennsylvania in
sisted 1t had the right to deal with.
Its own employees and sought by
Injunction to, restrain the Labor
Board from criticizing its action
Deeision UphoIds Roads.
Judge Page. in an earlier decision.
upheld the railroad. declaring that
the Labor Board exceeded its au-
thority and had Jurisdiction only I'm
cases directly concerning wages ana
working rules.
Solicitor General Beck appealed
the decision on the grounds that
such q ruling would invaIidate
hundreds of the boards rulings.
Reversal by the Circuit Court