New-York tribune., 1922-08-25
N. Y. Central, Erie and the
B. & O. Among LIB Sys-
TENS to Meet Big A. ON
Separate Peace Proposal
Unions See Slight
Chance of Success
Other Executives Leave;
Call Move a Formality;
Seek Fight to Finish

Despite the collapse on Wednesday
Of the effort made here for national
adjustment of the railroad strike, it
appeared yesterday that the possibil-
ity Of individual settlements between
the strikers and small number of
the lines had not disappeared.
The big Four" brotherhood
mediators were in conference vir-
tually all day with representatives
of eighteen main lines, embracing
fifty-two roads, but without any an
nounced results. While the negotia-
tions are regarded in some circles as
important, since the lines participat-
ing are said to comprise about 80 per
cent Of the entire. mileage Of the
country, both the railway chiefs and
the union men generally take a
rather hopeless view Of the situa-
tion.
Far Apart on Seniority =
The union leaders already have de-
clared that there can be no separate
settlements, and that the mediators
have no authority to make such agree
ments. They assert also that there can
be no peace unless the strikers are re-
stored to their former jobs. with full
seniority The main body of the ex-
.ecutives have. said with unanimous
voice that the men taken on in the
place of the strikers will be retained,
end that the union men would have to
take pot luck il they desired to come
back.
In the light of these facts the pend
ing negotiations between the mediators
and some Of the railroads have been in
terpreted by certain railroad efIscials
as a "mere empty formality." The best
that could be achieved through these
conferences, it was explained by one
officer, was that. the strikers on some
of the lines would be taken back and
given such jobs as were available. On
the roads that have been heavily hit by
the strike and which are short most of
their man power il is possible that
some understanding, including senior
ity rights, might be reached. The
number of such lines, however, it was
explained, is so small that they can
hardly be said to figure in the walkout.
The position of union heads was put
by one of the mediators at the con-
clusion Of yesterdays meetings at the
Yale Club as follows: eve are like
bats, and can't see our way out"
Willard Heads Executives
The railway group in the. conference
l. ~, ~ ri
dent of the Baltimore & Ohio; A. H.
Smith, head Of the New York Central
lines; Hale Holden, of the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy; Charles E. Don
nelly, of the Northern Pacific; N. D..
Maher, of the Norfolk & Western; S.
Davies Warfield, Of the Seaboard Air
Line, and F. D. Underwood, of the
Erie. The roads represented by these
and the others joining in the confer
ences constitute about 71,000 miles
out Of a total Of $4,000.
When the mediators, led by Warren
8. Stone, of the engineers brother
hood, left the Yale Club at O'clock
at night they intimated that the meet
ings with the individual roads probably
would be continued to-day. The broth
erhood chiefs then went into confer
ence with the shopmen at the Hotel
Woodstock, where the discussion was
carried on far into the night. 1t was
made plain by the mediators that un-
der no circumstances could an agree
ment with the individual lines be made
until the matter had been referred
back to the committee of ninety shop
men in control of the walkout.
AS for the main group of executives,
they returned yesterday to their homes
and settled down to what they regard
as finish fight, It was predicted by
one high official that that within two
Continued on noxt pass,