Norwich bulletin., 1922-07-13
men.

While hatly refusing to meet the lead CTS of 100000 striking shopmen to dis cuss peace proposals, railway executives tonight left open the door for settle ment of the strike through the United States railroad labor board.
 Immediately after reaching an agree ment with the heads of the Big Four brotherhoods not to require their mem bers to do any of the work of striking shopmen, the executives began consid- eration of peace programme submitted to them by Ben w. Hooper chairman of the labor board, after a conference with B, NJ. Jewell, head of the striking shop men.
 The agreement was reached at a con. ference of representatives of the broth Brhoods at the office of Samuel M Eel ton, president of the Chicago and Great Western railway.
 He said the roads will be notified to stop the practices to which the brother- hoods objected.
 The executives answer asserted that the strike was called in dehance of the board and that therefore, any conference between the executives and the strik- CTS would not be permissible or tolera- b;e"
 Tt means hatly. No" declared MT. Feiton when asked regarding the deci- sion reached by the executives as he left the conference room.
 IT may be final, but it's only final for today" declared Mir. Jewell when the text of the letter was read to him over ne telephone. He refused further con- ment. declaring that he could not speak nntil he had heard from Mir. Hooper, Vho had opened negotiations with him.
 In railway circles the belief was ex- pressed that the mere opening of negoti- stions was long step toward a peace tul settlement and that the moves of the day had resulted in throwing the case back into the lap of the labor. board in the exact position In which it had rest ed when Mir Jewell allowe1 : strike or der to go into effect on July ], after ig- noring summons to appear before the board with the railway executives and explain his action He later declared however, this action was csie to the fact that the meeting was held too late to allow him to withdraw his strike order and that to have attemned to do SO would have resulted In chaos and uossi- b.e bloodshed.
 Authoritative reports declare that the shoFrses.s programme for settlement of The strike, include an agreement to abol- isf the farming out of shop work to contractors, the revision of pay sched- nles In respect to overtime. permission Tor re-hearinz of the whole wage con troversy by the labor board and the creation by the railways of boards of adjustment provided for in the transpor@ tztion act.
 Meanwhile, outbreaks between strike tympathizers, railway guards and feder. al marshals were reported In increasing numbers and annullment of trains con- hnued In many sections of the country
 The letter, signed by Samuel M Felton president. of the Chicago and Great Western railway, L. F. Loree, of the Delagare and Hudson, B. F. Bush of the Missouri Pacific and Whiteford R. Cole of the Nashville. Chattanooga and St Louis. follows in full:
 Replying to your inquiry of MeSsrs Bush, Cole. Loree and Felton on the oc. easion. of your call this morning, we beg 70 Say that while We, as chafman ol conference committees relating to sail. road matters In the several sections ol he country. are without authority tc ypeak for individual companies, we hay, no reason to believe that meeting be tween the railroad companies and repre- tentatives of the striking employees car be arranged under present conditions.
 
 results of the arbitration of the UniteS States railroad labor board, pursuant t law, after exhaustive hearings. in ,whicl all parties concerned were fully heard On June 30. last. the board, of whici you are chairman. called public hear Ing by citation 10 the proper representa- lives of carriers and organizations nam cd in the order of the board for the pur pose of an inquiry initiated by the boart under Section 31s of the transportation act. 1920. Notwithstanding the full re sponse by carriers to this citation, rep esentatives of the organizations mem bers of which are now on strike, refus cd to attend, and persisted in their re fusal to do so and thereby aid tn board in the performance of It's publi duty in the further inquiry into the cir cunstances relating to the strike thel threatened.
 After respectful consideration of you Inquiry. the conclusion seems necessar to follow, because of the strike thereaft CT called in defiance of the decision an order of the United States railroad labo board-decision No. 1,s0e-and the con s trolling provisions of the transportatior act, that the issue thus raised Is not on for consideration between the carrier and representatives of the organize EfdIls On except IIlTOuBn- IuTLnS orderly processes before the Unite States railroad labor board as corten plated by the transportation act.
 This conclusion is confirmed by tn statements which have appeared in tn public press to the effect that these .reI resentatives are only willing to abando lhis strike and return to service on th condition that they be relieved from a4 peptance of the mature decision of tf labor board in the case referred to. N conference for that purpose Is in ot Judgment permissible nor tolerabie, bl cause 1t would place the carriers pa acipating therein in apparent co-ooe ation with those on strike in seeking 1 bnd means to subvert the decision The labor board.
 "On the other hand a prompt reca ,f tho strike order would permit the ri unption of former methods of confe knce and permit the consideration of sn matters which representatives of emplo, es might desire to submit
 However. 1t should be added, we ha, no reason to doubt the prompt respon. by the carriers of the country to ar summons by the United States railros labor board fo any further hearings thi niay be called in connection with tn pubject in the event the board stou determine upon that course"