Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-08-02
CARRIERS WON 7
BOW To HARDING
SENIORITY PLAN
To END WALKOUT.
ut Is Impossible to Agree
to the First Sentence Of
the Third PROPOSAL" " Pres
ident Is Told, ....
UNANIMOUS REFUSAL
BY THE EXECUTIVES
Decision Is Made Known in
a Message TeIegraphed
From New York to Presi-
dent at the White House
lBy The Associated Press.)

clated PreSS) The unanimous re-
fusal OF the American Association
of Railway Executives to accept
President Harding's plan for set
tlement of the rail shop crafts
strike was contained in the follow
ing message, telegraphed to the
White House tonight;
Resolved % that we accept tho
first recommendations of the pres
ident reading as follows:
'First--Railway managers and
workmen are to agree to recognize
the validity of all decisions OF the
railroad labor board and to faith
fully carry out such decisions as
contemplated by law with the un-
derstanding that this is not in
tended to preclude any party to n
controversy from proceeding by
legal action TO question the valid
ity of any order of the board on
the ground that jurisdiction and
authority to make the order was
not conferred by the statutes Gre
ating the board and defining its
authority,
"(3 that we accept the second
proposal of the president reading
as follows:
viii Withdraw Law Suits.
'Second-The carriers will
withdraw all law suits growing out
of the strike. and labor board de-
cisions which have been involved
in the strike may be taken in the
exercise of recognized rights by
either party to the railroad labor
ri no. Inc witt fhn
derstanding that the strike is first
called off, and the representatives
OF the strikers pledge themselves
and the strikers against violence in
any form against the men now at
work and the property of the car
riers since otherwise it would be
impossible to consider the dis
missal of injunctions and other
legal measures necessary to pro-
tect such persons and PROPERTY
from the Violence and intimidation
of the character resorted to in
many localities since the strike was
called.
"(3) That 1t is impossible to
agree to the first sentence Of the
third proposal of the president, the
whole of which reads as follows:
'Third-All employees on strike
to be returned to work and to their
former positions with seniority and
other rights unimpaired. The rep
resentatives of the carriers and the
representatives Of the organiza-
tions especially agree that there
will he no discrimination by either
party against the employees VINO
did or did not strike
1.-THE railroad executives and
managers agree entirely with the
presidents statement in his letter
that 1t is wholly unthinkable thar
the railroad labor board can be
made a useful agency of the gov
ernment in maintaining tndustrlai
peace in the railway service unless
employers and workers are both
prompt and unquestioning In tnelr
acceptance of its decisions. | think
ii is more desirable than | know
how to express to have established
the unchallenged authority of the
railroad labor board, because we
must do these things which are
necessary to bring about the rec
ognition of suitable authority 10
decide and end such disputes
menace the continuity OF transport
tation.'
"Bv this language the president
has expressed with great force ana
cIeerness the policy which we ac-
vacated. But the decisions OF the
railroad labor board were flouted
and defied bv the six orgauiza-
tions comprising the federated
shop crafts; the strike was called
to take effect July 1, 1922, ana
even the summons Of the board TO
appear with the railroad eXecu-
tives before the railroad 'aoer
board, after the strike was called
and before it took effect, was con-
temptuously ignored by the lead
ers of the strikers who refused TO
attend the hearing. Thereupop 1t
became the plain duty of the rail-
roads actively and vigorously to
undertake to uphold the ORDERLY
processes for the adjustment OF
Industrial disputes contemplated
by the statute creating the labor
board and represented by the de-
cisions of that board against wnlch
the strike in question was direct
ed, and at the same time continue
! to the best of their ability TO dis
charge their duty to the public as
| common carriers.
| Many Refused 10 Strike.
| MANY men in the service refus-
ed to Join the strike and in so do-
| ing were assured of the seniority
rights accorded to them and of the
pernanence of their positions. On
some important lines so per cent
or more refused TO join the strike.
To these old loyal employees have
! been added thousands Of men who
were employed and could be Sc
| cured only upon a definite prom
jse that their services wuld be re-
tained regardless of the settlement
! of the strike, with all the rights
appertaining to such employment.
including that of seniority under
the working rules and regulations
previously approved by the rail-
road labor board. We especially
point out that a refusal to the old
men who remained in the service
and to the new men who accepted
service of the right of seniority IN
cident to their employment would
have Just the opposite effect to
that desired by the president and
would most seriously discredit the
| labor board. The board itself pre-
scribed the rules of seniority un-
der which the men referred to have
secured their seniority rights and
the railroad companies have neith-
er the legal nor moral right to de-