The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-07-25
MAY EXPECT
ACTION SOON

Chicago, July % (By the Associated
Press).-The railway strike combined
with the coal strike is being brought
home to the public today through the
announcement of the leaders in the
several industries that unless speed,
settlement is reached, the closing OF
the plants with the resulting unem
ployment and the rationing of fooG
and fuel supplies and Gripping Of the
public utilities service would result
Official Washington still maintain.
silence on the rail strike, but further
spread of the walkout is considered
unlikely.
Chicago, July % (By the Associated
Press) s).-The general chairmen of the
railway clerks union met today to
form uniform policy in connection
with their disputes with the roads
over wages and other matters. Nc
decision is expected before tonight.
President Fitzgerald, of the union
Is also in attendance.
Washington, July "a (By the Asso-
ciated Press) While on the surface
concrete developments in the railroad
strike were lacking in Washington
today, the impression gained in Of.
ficial circles was that the situation
was being rapidly shaken down" to
point where new move by the ad-
,ministration could be expected.
Cabinet members who discussed the
situation invariably declared that
President Harding was in personal
charge of the question and though
there was more than the belief that
the cabinet would be called upon to
consider it at the regular session to,
morrow no hint was forthcoming as
to the manner in which the transpor.
tation crisis would be- laid before the
presidents official family.
Further evidence was obtained
however, that some of the chief ex
ecutive's advisers have urged thai
the government can permit ths
breakdown of the country's arteries
of commerce to go no further while
waiting for the railroad manage
ments and shopmen to dispose oi
their differences.
Official reports have been received
it is known,-giving details of the ex
--tent to- which the strike has-been ne
sponsible for the almost "total blank
citing" of the healthy business reviva
in the United States and, while in
stances of direct interference with
the United States mails have recently
been conspicuously absent, postal in
spectors today recorded the further
annulment of important mail trains
Some admin stration advisers wht
favor a drastic move by the govern
ment are known to hold the view that
President harding should demand that
the railroad executives make every
effort to restore interstate commerce
especially to the extent of abandon
ing their stand on the seniority issue
said to be the crux of the whole
strike question-whereupon the dis
putants would be expected to come to.
gether on the matter of fair living
wage for railroad employees, conced
ed to be the remaining important is
sue.
If the railroad executives refused
it was declared, the president, salts.
fed he has full authority and a duty
delegated him by the constitution tt
maintain interstate commerce and the
mails service, could proceed to oper
ate the railroads. While the Esch
Cummings Act would be invoked fol
the purpose as far as that would ap
ply, it was said the presidents mair
reliance would be the duty "entrust
cd" to the chief executive under the
constitution.
The president, it is understood, has
been assured by his advisers that hi:
authority for decisive action without
recourse to congress is without ques
tion. Two courses would be open tt
him in order physically to operate thu
railroads, it was said. First, he coult
request the strikers to return to worl
under the government operation a
the old wage scale and with seniority
rights restored. If this failed, ther
federal troops could be called upor
to assure operation of the trains.
The first course, the president i:
understood to believe, would be &C
ceptab!e to the strikers who woult
see in it the capitulation of the rail
road executives and victory for la
bor The chief contention of thu
strikers, it was said, has developed
into fight for seniority, with the
wage dispute becoming subordinate
There is little disposition in gov
ernment circles to consider meeting
the emergency by actually putting
the lines under government operation
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