The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-18
NO CONCLUSION Is REACHED AT FIRST
 RAIL CONF FERENCE
Settlement of the Shopmen's Strike Hinges on Agree ment in Coal Industry,
 Jewell Says
By Associated Press

New York, August lS.-Ihe con- ference held today between railroad executives and leaders of the run ming trades to effect a settlement of the nationwide shopmen's strike ad- journed late this afternoon until to- morrow without reaching a definite conclusion.
 A statement issued after adjourn iaent by T. Dewitt cuyler, president of the Association of Railway Execu- lives. read;
 "A conference was held this aft einoon between committee of the carriers and the heads of the five train service organizations, who wished it to be distinctly understood that they appeared as medlators of their own notion.
 "A discussion of the present rail- road situation, so far as it relates to the shop crafts strike, took place. The questions involved were dis cussed with the honest desire to ar rive at solution of the problem If possible.
 "No definite eaaclusion was ar- rived at and the conference ad- jcurned until tomorrow morning
 conI strike Involved
 At the same time B. M. Jewell, head of the railway labor department of the American Federation of Labor. who arrived in this city today to be on hand in case the conferes wished him, issued a statement at the ap- town hotel at which the labor leaders had established heaquarters.
 "The settlement of the coal strike will to large degree determine the settlement of the railroad strike" said Mir. Jewell. The resumption of coal mining and the vastly increased de- mand for coal resulting from de- pleted stocks will force the railroads to move more coal in the next few weeks than ever before in history.
 This means record breaking demand for cars" ti
 Equipment is Short
 'In the face of this demand" con tinued MT Jewell there Is at the present time record breaking shcrt- age of good order equipment. The railroads will be required by urgent necessity to repair their coal cars in the shortest possible time.
 This will bring the most rsis- tent kind of pressure upon the roads to get a maximum number of skilled mechanics into their shops. It Is safe to say there will be places for one and one e-half times the normal number of men in coal repair shops.
 "The normal number of cars suit- able for moving coal in need of re- pairs is about per cent of the total number. Even before the strike there was an unprecedented proportion of bad order cars. The American Rail- way association figures that on July 1, 14k per cent needed repair. On July 15. , Ia per cent needed re- pair.
 Shortage of Cars
 These are the latest published figures but we estimate that at the present time there are from 20 to 2E per cent of all coal cars in bad order or about 100000 cars. We es- tmate that there will be shortage of about 75,000 cars week the moment the strike is settled.
 ''The abnormal number of cars now out of service will raise the weekly Shortage close to 100000 cars. Th's means that 30 per cent of the coal mined will be withheld from the cor sumner through lack of transportation facilities The maximum mine pro- duction is about 15,000.000 tons a week. The average coal car capacity is about 45 tons.
 "A shortage of 100000 cars will therefore prevent 4,500,00o tons of coal a week from reaching the con- sumer.