New-York tribune., 1922-07-30
Rail Slloprnen
Now Doubtful
OF Early Peace
Hope of Solution Fades as
Telegram of MIR. Loree to
Senators Shows Roads
Oppose Harding's Plan
w estern Lines Back View
Presidents Threaten Resig-
nation If Compelled to
Surrender 10 Strikers

Leaders of the shopmen's strike here
practically abandoned hope of an early
general settlement when it became
known last night that L. r, Loree,
chairman of the Eastern Railway
Presidents Conference, had sent to
Senator'S Calder and Wadsworth . tele-
gram expressing amazement at the
governments attitude on the strike and
It's alleged failure to sound the senti-
ment of the 175000 men now regularly
employed in repair shops throughout
the country.
Mr.. Loree's action was interpreted at
union headquarters as formal notih-
cation to the government that the East
ern roads feel too confident Of their
ability to handle the situation created
by the walk-out to make any conces-
sions to the strikers when their repre-
sentatives meet with executives from
other parts Of the country here Tuesday
to consider the Presidents peace pro-
posals. 1t further was considered a re-
iteration of the attitude of these roads
that they are more interested in build
ing up a dependable new force than in
getting back the men who went 0"t
July i, and inasmuch as the strons
Eastern lines employ 40 per cent of the
railroad machinists in the country,
their attitude was regarded as the erux
Of the situation.
Executives to Meet Tomorrow
The telegram to the two Senators
was sent out over Mr.. Loree's per-
sonal signature, and no formal con-
frmation for the belief that he acted
in a semi-representativs capacity will
be obtained until after q meeting Of
the executives Of the Eastern roads,
which was called yesterday for 1:1b
Monday afternoon at the Metropolitan
Club. Mr.. Loree's words were:
81 spent the morning in Washington
and am amazed at information floating
about regarding the attitude Of the
Administration in the railroad strike.
80 far as l am advised, the Presi-
dent mas made no effort to inform him
self as to the position of more than
175.000 shopmen now on the railroad
pay rolls, whose interests are vitality
at stake. More than $4,000 are in your
own State Of New York, and naturally
viii look to you to see that their in
terests are safeguaraed. If | can be
of any service to you in this connec-
! tion | can be reached at my New York
Office"
Strike leaders expressed the hope
that more conciliatory stand would
| be taken by the Western carriers, but
from company executive here 1t was
! learned yesterday that feeling on these
roads against taking back the strikers
unehastened runs SO high that three
| presidents have declared their inten-
/ tion Of resigning if their directors or
| der concessions on this point 1t was
pointed cut further that the Southern
Pacific, the Union Pacific, the Santa
| Fe, the Illinois Central and the Bur
| iington cleaned out the shopcreft
unions after series of strikes which
ended in 1911, and that these lines
conso quentiy will be all the more anx.
ious TO restore conditions which they
once succeeded in establishing.
Carriers Determined to Fight
John c. Walber, spokesman for thu
eastern roads, expressed even more
tirNly than heretofore the conviction
THAT the carriers in this section fee
that they have no alternative but t.
fP!it for complete victory. He de
ciared that settlement with the shop
32an restoring them to their old posi-
tlons would precipitate an even NOR.
serious strike Of the supervisory forces
troll remaining over the shop force
and would not be able to look thei
subordinates in the face. Mr.. Walber'
statement was backed by pronounce
merts from the Offices of several road
in this section, all reporting that eve,
high officials were threatening to re
SIGN Wholesale If the shopmen shoul
be taken back feeling that they ha
Won the strike.
These officers point out" said on
executive, that they have not onl,
labored long hours themselves, bu
have also pleaded long hours with tn,
loyally at their posts to the end tha
the public might not be deprived O
essential operating service, with tn,
assurance repeatedly given that the,
would not be displaced by strikers.
They contend that to ask them a
this time to break the pledges the,
have made would be to end their use
fplness as officers
Il couldn't look the men in this fac,
and they wouldn't let me-" vas tn,
expression one foreman was quoted a,
having used to express his views O,
his position if the strikers were re
turned to favored positions.
Chamber Backs Roads
The apparently firm stand of tb.
Gastern roads on this issue was in
dorsed yesterday by two kilograms t,
PRESIDENT Harding, one sent bv tn,
executive committee Of the New YorI
State Chamber of Commerce, the othe,
by 5000 workers now employed in tn,
shops of the New Haven road. In sh,
former message Mr- Harding is urge,
that any settlement made should Civ,
fuil recognition to the loyal railroat
employees who, during this assault q,
established government, have. bv con
tinuing at work, kept trains mevin,
and thereby given courage to ali wh'
neiIeve in the support OF the laws O
tae land and the peaeeahle settlement
OF Industrial diseutea."
The official union statement or Pues
Gays conference here declared "ths
she strike situation here has beiies
gown to an endurance test betwee,
President Harding and the government
ON the one hand and General After
bury, vieerpregident of she PennryI
vania, on the other. The President ha,
made IT perfectly clear that the After
bury group should receds from it's ex
trems stand on the seniattty question
Mondays meeting, of the Eastern exec
utiyB win be a turning point in TIL,
strike. II the Atterbury CLIQUE canno
Gnd basis for settlement in tn,