The New York herald., 1922-07-20
CENIRAL'S STRIKERS
Lose ALL SENIORITY
Road Says Returning Men
Will Be Put on Basis of
New Employees.
FORCES ARE BUILT UP
Eastern Lines Contend SO
(. to 60 Per Cent. of Places
Are Now Filled.
HYLAN MEETING FAILS
workers Party Of America
Tries to Prolong Walkout;
Warns Government.
HYLAN MEETING FAILS


peared yesterday, so far as the New
York district was concerned. to have
settled down to a waiting game. The
New York Central issued a statement
announcing that the men on strike
may come back. but as new men
without the seniority they formerly
enjoyed. This announcement disposed
of rumors that the road was holding
out the inducement Of former stand
ing to all strikers that returned.
John G. Walber, secretary of the
Bureau Of Information of the Eastern
Railroads, said yesterday that the
roads in his Jurisdiction had recruited
their forces to between so and so per
cent. of normal He added:
The strike will be drawn out and the
end will come, through the gradual dis
integration Of the strikers forces. There
will be a gradual drifting back to work
rather than any outright surrender by
the men,"
Strikers Get No Benefits.
No strike benefits have been paid and
it appears that no arrangements have
been made for immediate relief for the
shopmen who have gone out.
Strike reports from the New York,
New Haven and Hartford shops were
that there had been no defections from
the ranks of the strikers In New Haven
and that machinists and other mechanics
in the Farrell Foundry and Machine
Shop had quit when required 20 do car
repair work. An official statement from
the road officials. however. said that
they were slowly building permanent
staff of skilled workmen. with freight
and passenger service again normal.
One hundred more men were reported
at work yesterday than on Tuesday.
The New York Centrars notice TO em-
ployees, signed by A. H. Smith. president
of the road, read:
ITO all employees concerned:
when certain employees left the SER
vice OF the New York Central lines
July !, and since that date. the question
of seniority standing Of the employees
who remained in the service and the acw
men who entered the service was con-
sidered
Instructions were issued to the effect
that the seniority Of the employees who
remained In service would date ahead
of former employees returning or new
employees taken into the service.
MY attention has been called to con-
fiicting statements made in the public
prints and otherwise. To the end that
there may be no misunderstanding on
this question, wish TO state that any
former employees returning to the SER
vice. will be considered new employees.
with seniority dates following the men
in service. whether new or old em-
ployees."
Jewell Statements Denied.
The estimates of Bert M. Jewell, ma
tional head of the federated shopcrafts,
regarding the number of men out were
characterized as vastly overrated" by
Mr.. walber. returned from Chicago re-
Gently. He said he knew nothing Of
reports from Chicago that the United
States Railroad Labor Board would re-
open hearings of the wage question
among the shopcrafts and maintenance
of way men. although he intimated that
such development would avert crisis.
Mr.. Walber reiterated his former
opinion that a hard and fast standard
lied wage scale, irrespective OF local
conditions. was unsound. He thought
that most of the other Eastern roads
would be glad to adopt the wage scale
f1xed in the agreement signed on Tues
dav between the Pennsylvania and its
lao, 900 employees.
AT the same time, Mr.. Walber as
serted. virtually all the Eastern roads
would stand together on the question
of taking back striking employees.
The conference which number OF
strike leaders were attempting TO ar
range yesterday with Mayor Hylan. at
which they proposed to present evidence
OF violations of the city's sanitary code
bv the railroads in housing the striker
breakers was called off after the Mayor
suggested that complaints should be
made through the Health Department.
The presidents of the Eastern roads
wiz hold their regular monthly meeting
to-day at the Bankers Club.
Train arrivals at both the Grand Cen
ira, terminal and the Pennsylvania sta
tior were reported much improved yes
terday. The Lackawanna officials re-
ported more applications for work re-
ceived Yesterday than on any other day
since the strike began. General Mana
ger Z. y. Rine said many Of the appli-
cAnts were striking shopmen from other
roads
An attempt of an organization calling
itself the Workers Party OF America
to prolong the trouble and II possible,
call out the big four brotherhoods.
was observed again yesterday. Leaflets
bearing the name Of G. Il. Ruthenberg.
executive secretary. were distributed
about the Long Island. Erie and Penn
sylvania shops. They called upon the
Government 10 keep its hands off,"