The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-07-28
PRESIDENT WILL
SETTLE STRIKE
Acceptance of Formula For
Settlement Can't Be
Long Delayed at
SENIORITY RIGHTS
TO BE NEGOTIATED
President Wants Rail Strikers TO Re-
turn TO Work and Leave This Question
To Labor Board-Will Tackle Coal
Strike After Rail Problem Is Solved.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Dispatch to The Reformer.
Copyright 1922.


Especial Dispatch to The RefOrmer.D
Copyright 1929.
WASHINGTON, July 2S.-Presiden-
tial influence will settle the rail strike
within the next 40 hours.
Conferences between President Hard
ing and T. Dewitt Cuyler, chairman of
the Association of Railway executives,
on the one hand and with b. NJ. Jewell
and representatives of the shop crafts
unions on the other, have proceeded to
the point where acceptance of a formula
for a settlement cannot be long delayed
Briefly. the President wants the men
to go back to work and the railroads TO
take them back with the understanding
that rehearings will be given on matters
already in dispute before the United
States railroad labor board and with the
further agreement that the seniority rights
problem will be left for future determine
ton.
In other words the process would be
this The workmen would return to
work and ask that their seniority rights be
restored Naturally the railroads to be
consistent would refuse to grant the re-
quest. This would Immediately become a
dispute within the meaning of the trans
poFtation act and the labor board would
get jurisdiction over the matter.
if the labor board should subsequently
decide that the seniority question had
arisen after the present strike began and
was not really an issue before that and
| if the board should grant the restoration
| of seniority rights without making the
decision a precedent for future cases all
/ of which would have to stand on their
own bottom. the railroads would be bound
| to accept the findings of the labor board.
Strengthen Labor Board.
Unfortunately, some of the decisions of
| the board have not been respected in the
/ past by the railroads, but there is every
| reason to believe that President Harding
/ will make an effort to enhance the pres
tige of the board by securing even at this
/ late date obedience to the boards deci
4 sion on the part of the railroads.
Il Mr. Harding has tried to maneuvre the
4 situation without attempting to inhu
ence the labor boards actions, but occa
sions for guidance have arisen which
i have a direct bearing on the settlement
of the rail strike and the President isSu
ing his powers of persuasion to bring
about a compromise which will ostensibly
be the action of the labor board but
really the police of the administration.
Mr.. Cuyler who represents the las
ran tAfNullAtS WIN operate hintIlGd
railroads, has a job on his hands tryin.
to reconcile the various viewpoints o
eastern and western roads, but the i'm
| preston left after he left the Whit
House was that the situation had reached
point where Mr.. Cuyler's leadership
was essential to settlement.
Coal Strike Next
As for the coal strike, the Presiden
feels he will have a better chance t.
Tickle that situation again possibly witt
a new conference between miners an,
operators if the real strike is brought t
a peaceful end. John l.. Lewis's pub
lished statement that he is ready for =.
joint conference" is regarded as signifi
cant for he did not limit the conference
TO specific sections or require that al
operators be represented. He made n,
limitations. The administration find
itself more or less fatigued from previous
efforts to do something through a confer
ence with miners and operators. but TIL
situation has grown acute since the dis
putants were on the White House car
pet and the belief prevails that a chang