The New York herald., 1922-08-14
Executives Say They Have
Reached the Limit in
Their Concessions.
BIG FOUR IN CONFERENCE
Conductors Chief Intimates
All Rail Unions Will En-
ter Controversy.
Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. C., Aug. I3

SpcCfut DtSpdtch 10 HE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. g., Aug. IL.
Hope of a speedy settlement OF the
railroad strike was heavily discounted
to-day when il became apparent that
the conferences of yesterday and to-
day had resulted in a deadlock be-
tween the executives and the shopmen
which paved the way for collapse
of the latest peace profrer made by
the Administration
The situation had all the signs oe
increased tension to-day when the
committee of executives after a con-
ference OF an hour and a half with
the President at the White House left
Washington after making Il known
that they had reached the limit OF
concession and intimating that il tho
strike was not settled on the basis OF
the answer TO tho President there was
no alternative, in their opinion, but to
let it take it's course and let il be =
! fight to a finish. IT was an intimatian
TO the President that, In the opinion
of the executives, the time had como
for hands off,"
Meantime. following the refusal OF
the executives 10 accept the proposal
of mediation made by the big -Four"
and the affiliated unions, which took
the form of an offer that tho seniority
question be submitted to independents
arbitration, the leaders of the brothes-
hoods were in secret conference con-
sdering the situation and looking for
a way out of the deadlock.
Wants Issue Held Up.
Pending the discussion in these Sc
cret conferences. Warren s. Stone.
chief OF the Brotherhood Of Locomo-
tive Engineers. had issued orders that
the answer OF the shop craft unions
rejecting the Presidents proposal TO
have the seniority question referred to
the railroad labor board as well as tho
mediation statement of the brother
hoods be held up.
The tensity OF the situation was not
lghtened when the Big -Four" made n
gesture to-day, following a series az
secret conferences in which they found
no way out OF the dilemma. that they
arc TO leave committee in Washington
which i plainly intended 4 keep watch
pending the assembling Of Congress.
l.. r. Sheppard. president of the rail-
way conductors, issued a statement In
which he declared that the Seniority
issue was only a name for many funda-
mentals underlying the shopmens strike.
and that the issue involved applied -
whether fright to strike" has been inn
paired BY the transportation act or can
be so impaired
Whilo Mr. Sheppard did not enlarge
on the attitude OF tie big Four" ha
did make II clear that the large and
powerful organizations having unqer-
taken to present the case Of the shop
men gee no way out and further Il car
ried the gesture that any effort made ~
Congress In the direction of "outlawrv'
or "anti-strilse" legislation may very
well bring all organized railway labor
into the controversy.
TIE representatives Of tho big Four
were clearly of tho belief that settlement
was Il the best "problematicar' and -.
the worst somewhat hopeless They viii
continue however, to do all they can
in the interest Of conciliation, il was
stated.
shcppard's Statement.
Following Is the text OF the statement
issued by Mr. Sheppard on behalf OF tho
non-striking railway organizations:
1--WE don't know just where We are.
We don't want 10 10 or say anything to
embarrass either side. We are hoping
OF finding some way 10 help. Whether
v,c can or cannot IL urNhternatfcal Wo
are going 20 stay here at least until
Congress reconvencs. III the President
wants TO see us VIC will respond TO his
call We will keep the same committee
here.
"As soon az tho time comes wc can
make a statement that will not emhar-
rass anybody. In The meantime we calt
attention 20 tho fact that much has been
said about seniority. Seniority Is only
one OF many fundamentals applicable -
the men who have left the service and
arc on strike The real issue 4 tho
status of the men on strike. We hold
they arc not dismissed from tho service
they have nst resigned they arc watt
ing a settlement of their differences, and
ali their rights as employees arc sus-
pended 30 10 speak. contingent On
whether they 60 back into The service.
This applies TO tho right o. strike under
the law. 30 pensions provided ny their
employers az well as 20 seniority. THAT
r. the real issue. Seniority. We think.
has been. In common perlance, worked
overtime by the railroads.
I'm all disputes these organizations
have had with their employers In years
gone by they have gone back With nll
rights by agreement, and SO pndcrstood-
We see no reason why the policy should
AZ.