The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1922-08-10
Tell President Harding Old and
New Men Must Be Protected
in Strike Settlement.
NOT A MATTER OF CHOICE
Faithful Employees Have Both legal
and Moral Rights 10 Seniority
and Other Benenta

their former positions with seniority
and other rights unimpalred" lies In
the last paragraph from their reply
10 the President ~ follows:
1T u submitted that the strik-
ina former employees cannot be given
preference 60 employers 81 present In
the service sithout doing violence TO
every principle q tiEht and Justice
involved In this matter. AMI without
the grossest breach % faith on the
part % the railroads 10 the men at
present in their service
Under these circumstances. u be-
come. apparent that the railroads
cannot consider any settlement 81 the
present strike which doe. no, pro-
vide protection IN their present en-
ploymsnt both 20 the loyal employees
~ho remained In the service and TO
the new employees entering ~
The executives had accepted the
fret two conditions proposed by the
President. namely. that both employ
ers and employees accept the decisions
~ the Labor Board. and that all law
suits growing out of the strike be
Withdrawn and In relation 20 the
third condition spoke not only as
quoted above. but also As follows:
Agree With the President
The railroad executives and man.
ayers agree entirely with the Presi-
dents statement In his letter that 10 IL
wholly unthlnkahle that "a. Railroad
Labor Hoard can h. made useful
agency ~ the Government IN maintain
ing industrial peace in the railway
service unless employers and workers
are both prompt and unquestioning In
their acceptance ~ It's decisions
MANY men in the service refused TO
ioin the strike and IN So doing were
assured Of the seniority rights accru-
lng to them and 10 the Tsrmanence
Of their positions on some important
limos "a per cent or more refused TO
Join the strike To these old loyal cm.
ployees have hycn added thousands
u new men Who were employed and
could be secured only upon a definite
promise that their services would lie
retained regardless % the settlement
81 the strike. with all the rights ap.
pertaining 10 such employment. inc.ud-
Ing that ~ seniority under the working
rules and regulations previously ap-
proved by the Railroad Labor Board.
"Jus, the Opposite Effect"
I'VE especially point cut that re-
fusal to the Old men who remained In
the service and 20 the new men who
accepted service 81 the rights 81 senior
ity Incident 10 their employment would
have just the opposite effect 20 that de-
sired by the President. and would most
seriously discredii the Labor Board
The hoard Itself prescribed the
rules u seniority under which the men
referred 10 have secured their senior
liy rights. and the railroad companies
have ne4ihcr the legal nor moral right
~ deprive these men 20 those rights
rs public utteranres since the strike
began the board has recognized and
emphasized these rights, and Ia deny
them now would. instead ~ UNFOLDING
'he authority - the Labor Board. over
throw rs rules and discredli It's au-
ihurIty
The Chairman ~ the Labor Board
m the time the strike was called made
the following public statement;
.t'pou one question the striking en-
uloyees should not be deceived. Their
leader has said that ~. strikers
are no longer employees 81 the rail-
waYs aud they have thus automatic
ally abandoned an the rights they
possess under their agreements and
under the decisions 81 the board In
Guiding their seniority This Is not
q a. a.. 10
Many carriers are giving their for
MGR employees tho opportunity 10 re-
enter the service within limited
time n must hr Understood now
that men who remained in the sery-
Ice and thos. who are now entering
u Wii have rights of seniority that
re board could not iEnors
VIVA, the Proposed Plan Means
IN must be- understood that any pro-
posal that employees now on strike
shall bee permitted tU return to the
service. without impairment To their
seniority. j. merely another way of
suggesting that those men who took
employment Ia this crisis ln good faith.
rrIylng ON the promises ~ the rail-
rn,ds to protect them In their posi-
tians. thes. promises being Justified by
90. authoritative utirranccs 81 III"
Labor Board. and thus haze made pos
.hla the continued operation ~ the
railroads. shall nuw be sacrificed In
favor Of men nov on strike. who not
only brought about the crisis, but by
their own action and declaration. are
no longer employees ~ the railways,
under the jurisdiction Of the United
States Railroad Labor Board. Or sub
iect TO the application 81 the Trans
poriatlon act
In addition 10 the necessity ~ up
holding the Labor Roard and main
tanning the pledges made by the rail-
roads 20 the men nov at work, there
il the practical eject on the super
,isory officers ~ violation Of the
pledges they were authorized TO make
Their encouragement and dsmoralixa-
ton would be- far more disastrous than
this or any other strike"