New-York tribune., 1922-07-20
Labor BoardAbandonsEf-
forts When Some Roads
Refuse to Restore Old
Rights to Shop Workers
Executives Insist
Demand Is Unfair
Hope of Settlement Still
Seen in Lack of Una
nirnity Among Carriers
By Gilman Parker

OHICAGO, July 1D.-An unexpected
obstacle in the path to quick settle
ment OF the railroad strike was dis-
closed to-day by Ben w. Hooper. chair
man of the Railroad Labor Board. who
declared in formal statement shat
only the question Of restoring seniority
rights to the striking shopmen was
blocking the way to peace.
Mr.. Hooper officially confirmed what
une last Monday, that secret parleys
were. being held with view to
speedy settlement, and that for all
practical purposes both sides were able
to get together on the basis of COM
promise in wages through new board
hearings, abolition of the contracting
out OF shop work and the creation Of
adjustment boards.
Executive Balk Over Rights
On the question of the restoration of
seniority rights to the strikers, how
ever, Chairman Hooper met with what
was said to be hard-and-f fast refusal
on the part Of the railroad executives.
AT present." reads Mr.. Hooper's
statement, there is no possibility
OF an agreement on the question
OF the reinstatement of the strik-
ing employees with all rights
*SoSSA SA' 1AS ClcI5 uOES not seem TO
be any probability Of reconciling the
antipodal views of the carriers and the
men on the question at issue, the Labor
Board and none Of it's members are
now engaged in any further efforts
along that line"
Pesslmlstic as this may appear, how
ever, it was learned from the same
authoritative sources which revealed
the peace plans three days ago, that
Chairman Hooper's official declara-
tions may be taken with liberal dash
of salt.
at is true" was the explanation
given, that few of the roads least
affected by the strike are serious
about the seniority question, but a
vast majority Of the others are not.
In TACT, there is quite split among the
road executives on The subject.
membered, was not one Of the original
issues of the strike, and the fact that
a. tentative agreement has been effected
on all the other points at controversy,
which is now admitted by the roads
themselves, is almost sufficient proof
by itself that a settlement is nearer
than ever. 100
"That being the case, that seniority
rights now stand alone in the way to a
settlement, it should be possible to get
an adjustment within three or four
days"
Public's View Also Factor
One view Of the latest turn in the
situation, conservative opinion, by
the way, was that the ostensible hold
ing out on seniority rights-an issue
regarded all along as a "straw man."
has been brought up with two objects
in view--to convince the public that
the roads are unquestionably on top in
the controversy and through the pub
licity given the move to frighten con-
siderable number Of the strikers back
to work.
$50 far as could be learned here, only
two of the carriers have taken an
adamant stand, the Santa Fe and the
Illinois Central, neither of which has
been forced to curtail train schedules
because of the strike. However, the
New York Central, through A. H.
Smith, its president, posted notices as
suring its strikebreakers that they
would be permitted to retain their
seniority rights.
with hundreds of trains cancelled,
equipment getting worse daily, ex.
haustion of coal reserve stocks, and
farmers, manufacturers, business men
anu IIlc puDilC EcHeIdliy CldHlOiiHS AOI
an end of the strike, such an issue
should not be permitted for a moment
to stand in the way of prompt set
tlement, and it is most unlikely that
the roads will allow it to do so," it
was further explained
"The common sense Of majority CT
the executives will prevail in the end
Of course, they all may hold off fog q
day or two to see whether any great
numbers Of the strikers will be scared
into returning to work, but finally the
question-on which, of course, there
can be no compromise, so far as the
strikers are concerned-will be BOWED
ever. There are TOO many strikers who
will remain out and not enough non
union labor capable of doing the shop.
mems work, especially with the tre-
mendous burden to be thrown on me
roads by the Forthcoming rush season
and the reopening of the coal mines
Chairman Hooper in his statement
makes no distinction between the, roads
which are seriously holding out on the
issue and those which are not, and goes
on to present the case of the roads on
the point in an almost unfavorable
light--a fact which drew some com.
ment, inasmuch as the Labor Board
! CONTINUED on next pase)