Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-17
STRIKE HEADS REPLY
TO HARDING PLANS.

striking shop craft leaders voted
unanimously to reject r'relident
Harding's second compromise pro
posal to end the rail strike, it was
revealed today when the union heads
made public their complete reply
to the presidents move to end the
rail strike.
Following is the text Of the reply
1--WE are in receipt Of your tele'
gram of August 7, referring to your
message to us Of July 81, and our
reply Of August 2.
In your telegram Of August
you request that striking railroad
employees return to work and leave
to the decision Of the railroad labor
board, after they have returned to
work, the question of seniority as
covered in the thi: paragraph OF
your telegram of July 81.
Seniority Request
'"This request has been fully con-
sidered by the executive council of
the railway employees department
who represent the railway employees
affected, and you are hereby advised
that the proposal contained in your
telegram Of August has been
unanimously declined for among
others, the following reasons:
81. o July 81 you submitted to the
representatives # he railroad en-
polyes in question and to the rail
way managers the terms Of agree
ment upon which the railway man
ayers and united shop craft workers
are to unite preliminary to calling
of the existing strike.
Your terms of agreement above
referred to are accepted by the rep
resentatives of the employees. On the
seniority question your terms OF
agreement were all employees now
on strike to be returned to work to
their former positions with seniority
and other rights unimpaired. The
representatives of The carriers and
the representatives of the organia-
cations especially agree that there
will be no discrimination by either
party against the employees who did
or did not strike This clearly pro-
vides that the seniority question was
to be settled before the employees re.
turned to work. Your proposal OF
August z Is that 1t be agreed to, or
rather disposed of, only after they
have returned to work.
This strike can not be, and no
other railroad strike has been bet.
tied until it was agreed, that all EN-.
ployes on strike are to be returned
to work and to their former posi-
tons with seniority and other rights
unimpaired.
&c. Seniority was not and is not
now, by right, an issue or q dispute
in this strike. The authors of the
transportation act have, on many
occasions, stated that there is nc
penalty in the transportation against
employees who strike when an injus.
tice is done through decision OF
the railroad labor board. Admit
tedly they have the right to strike
and, therefore, they do not forfeit
their standing as railroad employees
because they strike. Any other con
struction of the law would read into
the transportation act :. penalty
which is not contai 4 therein.
Willing To Agree
3. On August 2 we acquiesced in
the terms of agreement which you
declared to be just, fair and reason
able, and we are willing now, in the
interest Of all concerned to settle
the strike in accordance with the
terr-r of that agreement.
I'VE are, Of course, unable to I'm
derstand why, after we had ACCEPT
ed your own terms of agreement
you should now request us to accept
a proposal which is directly in con
fiict with your former proposed
agreement.
~. Your latest proposal is i'm
practicable and would create s
chaotic condition because of the IN
determined seniority status of the
employees.
'Railroad employees are ever mind
full of the public interest. They
have accepted your own terms o.
agreement, which called for no sac
rif1ce on the part of the railroad
executives, but which did REQUIRE
that the employees make concession
OF practically every issue which
brought about the strike.
1--WE have repeatedly called atten
ton to the fact that, the campaigr
against the organized railroad EN-
ployes was a part of the genera
open shop drive, and if press state
ments are correct, the managers O.
some Of the railroads the last few
days have frankly admitted tina,
they do not desire at this time tt
settle the strike, but hope to be per
mitted to continue their efforts tt
disintegrate the organizations of rail
road employees.
Sincerely and cordially yours,
(Signed) @
civilian H. JOHNSTON.
al. A. FRANKLIN.
JAIME w. KLINE.
"J. J. IAINES.
JAMES P. NOONAN.
MARTIN F. RYAN.
TIMOTHY HEALY.
"B. M. JEWELL"