The Washington times., 1922-08-04
New Rail Peace Move
BY Harding Forecast
as Cabinet Gathers
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES.
International News Service.

President Harding met with his
Cabinet today for another thorough
inventory of the industrial" situa-
ton. admitted by Government Off
ciais generally to be daily growing
more serious and more dangerous
in its potentialities.
Today's meeting was the sixth
consecutive session that has been
devoted entirely to discussion of the
rail and coal strikes and methods Of
remedying them.
II was not considered probable
there will be any decisive. action
by the Government In the coal
strike, the tendency being to await
Lewis 10 making to settle the four
months tie-up by means of Joint
conference with operators in Cleve-
land on Monday.
In the rail strike. however, II
was strongly intimated in Cabinet
quarters today, there will be inn
portant developments within twen-
ty-four hours, and the belief was
prevalent that another peace thrust
is imminent.
Conditions in the railroad field
were officially described today As
being 'intolerable." To the already
chaotic condition that prevails In
some sections was added today the
mence Of the disaffection spreading
10 other classes Of railroad workers
besides the shopmen, who up to
this time have had no part in the
strike.
Labor leaders asserted today that
the summary tuEreswn given
President Harding's pssce program
~ H.
had a tremendous effect upon all
railroad labor, creating a state Of
resentment and suspicion that is
daily becoming more apparent. Tho
dissatisfaction has been increased
among those still working by the de-
terioration OF equipment-notice
ably among the four powerful
brotherhoods.
Lending color to the intinations
OF another peace move being i'm
pending were reports current TODAY
In high quarters that the failure
Of the Presidents original peace
program was due entirely to a
'regrettable Misunderstanding"
1t will be remembered that
President Harding and his Cabinet
advisers considered the rail strike
'as good as settled" when the
unions met in Chicago and the
executives in New York last Tues
day.
What happened, according to
the story told in authoritative
quarters, was this:
Jewell came to Washington with
q program calling for return 10
work with seniority right OF the
strikers fully restored.
President Harding suggested that
this be changed to allow those shop.
man who had remained at work to
keep the seniority rights to which
they had succeeded by reason of the
walkout.
Jewell demurred, but said he would
have to talk II over with his con-
cutives, called at the White House,
and the President informed him of
the status Of the case. Cuyler, ac.
cording to the story, expressed the
opinion that such q program as the
President had suggested would prove
acceptable to a majority Of the roads.
He then left Washington to. spend
the weekend in Philadelphia.
Jewell, In the meanwhile, had con-
ferred with his union associates, and
decided 10 stick out for full seniority
rights. and after another conference
with Mr.. Harding the matter was
finally left that way.
Cuyler went to the executives
meeting under the impression the
seniority matter had been agreed
upon as allowing the old workers to
retain the seniority rights to which
they had succeeded.
Jewell went TO the union meeting