The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-08-07
Harding Stand
On Seniority
Is Unchanged
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(CnpyriEht by The IutelliSencep

Warrington. Aug. S.-The biggest ~
question marks rests today c7 cnsr'
ter OF White House history - c"nn''-
ton with the railroad strike. N'A'
happened At the contere1'" between
President Harding and T, Dewitt Guy
,.- President OF the Association OF Rail
way Executives on Thursday. July -'h .
And another query pertains 20 what
happened between the time Mr.. CuSLer
left tho White House and the meeting
Of tho railroad executives held IN Ne"
York six days later.
President Harding has felt compelled
20 authorize the Washington newspaper
correspondents TO send broadcast the
statement that he did not alter the pro-
posal he made 10 Mr. Cuylcr with re-
snect 10 the return OF seniority rights
10 the railroad strikers. This siSni'i /
,>ant denial was made because MI Hard
inE was told that an impression mas
been spread that the original offer nad
been modified after Mr.. ''uyler LETT the
White House Such foundation as .eN-
's,s for this Impression may be traced
70 the discussion which took place IN
New York last Tuesday when the rah-
road executives met.
Those who heard what was "a" ~ '"'
New York meeting haST quoted My. Guy
lsr as having said that he read Pres
dent Harding'S letter with consIoerao'e
surprise"
Mr.. Cuyler didn't say when that sur
prise occurred Mr.. Harding has re
,ealed that the plan which ne drafted
In his own handwriting was shown L
N- Cuyler on the day h9 was at tn
ThnrS1AS JUN
p. II Mr.. Cuyler said he was surprised
r. must have referred 70 the effect
which the proposal to restore seniority
rights 20 the strikers made upon him
when Mr.. Harding first read him the
!o,tar. He couldn't possibly have re
erred to the Impression which the for'
nal letter made upon him when II
was typewrttten and r.oTeiy reproduced
wHa, Mr.. Harding had shown him be
fore
RRrdtnR was Confident
Mr.. Harding was confident when Mr.
t'uyler left here that the proposals
would be adopted and that the meet'ns
- rhe railway executives would merely
~at!fy the program. Mr.. Cuyler must
have given the President the impress
s,oa that he would accept the pro
posals thought under protest. otnet
wise the entire administration wouLdh
have been so cocksure tho strike was
over day Mr.. Cuyler called. EVERY
abatement given out by administration
sonkesmen both at the capitol and the
svecutiye end OF the Pennsylvania ave
rue was along that line.
The most plausible explanation OF
tho whole business would appear to bt
,his. Mr.. Cuyler and President Hard
Ing had q long conference In the morn
ing at the White House offices anr
,hsn had another iouG talk in the eve
-.rx IN the executive mansion. Cnde'
the spell Of NJ. HardinG's warm per
soraItty and persuasive argument Nr
ruvler felt the Influence Of Pr"Sid"n
ror,mand BE had been tod tna' "
,hs proposals weren't accepted 'h'
.oal situation would grow "ors' ah'
ne country would suffer and that e.
.. move Of expedicncy in the interest o
.r. puhlic welfare. Irrespective Of h.
,r;..tion NJ principle on the sen'"r'''
tights he plan should he accepted
Mr. Cuvlpr went 70 New York 20 500
,,Na, hc could do. when he got th"''
. found an amazingly hostile atmoSp
rc-o He Sa,y he would h" unable u
,.-n ,hA tide s,en II no fought har1
Secretary Hoover had been asked T.
mako tho plea for the administrator
Via. Puc that didn't sufftce-ti didn
,o~,irre the executives. II Is ts sac
rra, when Robert Lovett in a quiet am
,;rdraratic wav stated that no coul'
ror go back ~ tho loyal men IN ~
employ. an emotional outburst ot sr
p'4uSe swept The meeting
pidnt Carry Conviction
So Mr. Harding's arguments mai'
'hrouEh the head Of the railway eNe"f
ives organization didn't carry conr'"
,io, He has the alternative OF modify
.7g his proposal or sticking t" h''
guns ard laying tho proposal In p"rSo'
before the 14S railway executives. Mr.
Harding may decide 10 reply by lette'
-. the executives pointing out that since
,rey have agreed 70 abide by all ih'
decisions Of tho labor hoard as con
,sr1p!ated bY the Transportation Act
no sNrlorIty dispute might he RESOLVED
~ ire hoard later on. The rr"S,den
has let ~ he known tha: substantial
progress has been made hv the an
rounrad acceptance ny both sides q
-hA principal point N his proposal
~eCrrrit'on OF tho labor boards dec
sion Some formula must he devise
hoyever for the actual return of fh,
strikers even though IN" Senior'N
onAsr'or 's left undermined "a SOM
roads would haveVto dismiss strt-'
l-eakn~s to receive back into their EN-
ploy tho men who went on strike. Sev
oral roads can take both groups bacl
ard eliminate one later. but EASTER
b1