Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1922-07-21
Labor Board Back On Job
Despite Failure Toward
Settlement OF The Strike
Executive Council Meets TO Decide Whether Separate Peace
Individually Or Blanket Settlement viii Be Made.

ICY International News Servlee)
Chicago. July 21-Despite tbs
failure of it's repeated efforts to set.
tie the national railroad strike, the
United States railroad labor board
today resumed its conferences with
PARTIES to the walkout of shopmen.
Chairman Rem W. Hooper, OF the
board was in telephone communtca-
ton with parties to the strike while,
at the same time, w. H. McMent-
men, labor member and spacilicator'
was meeting representatives or the
clerks and freight handlers, the
union which appears nearest to
general walkout Much interest was
manifested in the question whether
Il. NJ. Jewell, head Of the striking
shopmen. would agree to the of1ev
of direct negotiations with the
roads individually. as has been sug-
sested Jewell declined to COM
ment on this phase Of the situation
but intimated that he would issue
n statement later.
Whether the striking shopmen
will make separate peace with indf-
vldual railroads or insist upon =
blanket settlement of the controver-
sy. will be decided It Is expected,
at meeting today of the executive
council of the railway employees az
partment of the American Federa-
ton OF labor.
Willing To Settle.
Two roads--the Baltimore and
Ohio and the Southern Railway
have expressed a willingness to ne
gotiate with their employees. B. M
Jewell strike leader, and his execu-
tive committee, will meet here to-
day and it is believed will decide
whether to sanction or oppose indf-
vidual settlements with the various
roads.
II decision Is reached to negotiate
with the roads individually, 1t Ia
generally believed that other rail-
roads will follow the lead taken by
the Baltimore and Ohio and the
Southern
Much interest.
Much interest was manifested
here today in the meeting Of the
Grand Lodge Of the Brotherhood NJ
Maintenance of Way employees in
Detroit. which is expected to decide
that unions attitude toward the
strike. Advices received here de-
clared that r. f. Cradle, head Of the
brotherhood, Is confident that no
strike Of his organization would bN
ordered
OfHcials here rcfrained from COM
ment upon the report from Wash
ington that conference between
heads of the leading railroads and
heads Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. called to discuss strike
issues, had ended with refusal by
the rail executives to consider de-
mands made by the shopmen as a
basis for settlement.
One grievance of the unions IL be-
Iieved TO have been eliminated and
the position OF the United Stata1
railway labor board strengthened
by u decision by u. s. Circuit Court
Of Appeals here. Overriding a de-
cjslon by U. s. District Judge Page.
the appellate court decreed that the
abor board is more than an advis-
ory body and held that it has au-
thority TO protect the interests OF
the unions.
An Injunction granted by Judge
Page restraining the board from pre-
scribing methods Of procedure by
the Pennsylvania railroad in the Sc
lection Of employe representatives
, to negotiate new working rules was
set aside Judge Page has ruled
that the board had no authority to
prescribe the manner in which the
election should be held. The ap-
pellate court upheld the boards
authority.
Union leaders have commended
that the railroads will not obey the
rulings of q board that is merely
advisory The decision Of the ap-
pellate court restores some Of the
prestige that the board lost as a re-
suit Of Judge Pages ruling.
/ The heads Of the clerks union
will meet in Chicago Monday for a
/ conference on the phases of the
strike affecting that organization.