Evening star., 1922-09-14
BY j. c. ROYLE
Special Correspondent Of The Star.
Copyright. 1921 =


NEW YORK. September 14.--Agree-
rent between striking shopmen and
lifty-two of the 2O1 class one railroads
>of the country will not restore nor1
NAL shop conditions in the immediate
future even on the roads involved,
whatever it's ultimate effect may be-
FITS psychological effect both ON trans
portation and on business in general
however. will be imm ediate and far
Eeaching. These conclusions were
Indicated plainly today by telegraphic
reports from different sections of the
country received within the last
twelve hours.
The question of f'Who won the
strike?" seems in a fair way to rival
the famous query, Who won the
war;" The answer, according to ex-
pressions of opinion today by men in
close touch with business and trans
portation. seems to be that the build
Ing business, the automobile Industry,
turers and the metal trades reaped
the major portion Of what benefit
there was.
Full Compliance Held Doabtfal.
1t is grave question whether
either the unions or the roads can
comply to the letter with the terms
of the Chicago agreement. Those
terms provide "all men to return to
work in positions of the class they
originally held on June 80 and at the
same point" and continue that as
many as possible must be put back at
work at once and all within thirty
days.
The roads involved in the agreement
Undoubtedly are willing to take the
men back and the labor executives are
equally anxious to send them back, but
in many localities the men are not
there to be sent or received. About
100000 men were involved in the walk
out on July I. but by TO means all of
these rema ned idle or in the same To-
calities. Thousands have accepted Jobs
with other employers and are settled
and undesirous of returning.
Reports today from automobile man
ufacturing centers state that the motor
plants have accounted for d tremendous
number of former railroad men. In De
troit only a handful of strikers remain.
Many of those who walked out of the
shops of one road have gone to work in
other cities for other carriers. As IL
lustrating this. Washington dispatch
stated today that of the former p. & o.
shopmen in that section only e few re-
main, the majority having joined the
Pennsylvania forces.
Sought Jobs Elsewhere.
The boom in building construction
with its attendant shortage of labor
drew thousands of others who found
that trained mechanics. handy with
tools. had little difficulty in getting Jobs
as building trade artisans at wages far
above the railway sca.e. The rejuvena-
tion in railway equipment shops, loco
motive works, the metal trades. mines
and oil fields has provided other oppor-
tunities for employment.
The eastern railroads. with the ex-
ception of the Baltimore and Ohio.
gave no sign today of joining any
movement for settlement on the Chi.
cago agreement basis. and they con-
tfnue active bidders for labor against
the roads included in the agreemenr
Their executives declared that their
Sshop forces were gradually approach.
Ing normal New England roads were
reported from Boston to have filled
able to pick their men with regard
to individual efficiency. Word from
Atlanta indicated the Central of
Georgia road was discharging surplus
shop labor. .-.
i Indication of the firr1ness of the
stand of the eastern roads was seen
by many in progress of plans for
establishment of company unions"
without Affiliations with the A. F. of
L. The Pennsylvania, New Haven.
Delaware and Hudson and Central of
New Jersey already have such unions
and other roads are known to be
preparing for their organization.
In spite of the differences involved.
widespread hope was expressed today
by railroad men, union executives and
shippers that the Chicago agreement
eventually would lead to country
wide readjustment of forces. such as
to restore railroad equipment to a
condition which would expedite rather
than check the business expansion in
prOSpect. %