The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-08-15
Harding Pleased
With Attitude
OF Rail Heads
By DAVID LAWRENCE
lCopyrtsht by The 1ntsl4gencsr,

Washington. AuG. it-P rest d en-
Harding considers the reply OF the rail-
way executives 20 his latest peace pro
posal 10 be eminently satisfactory. He
will not nudge an inch from this po-
sition. and no matter what happens IN
the crisis now developing. the pre-
sjdenc Will INSIST upon his proposal be-
INK accepted by the shopmen. II lS
the final comprouiss. namely. that the
railwoys take back ihe strikers and
give them their former positions where
vacancies exist or other looS at the
same pay they formerly received,
their old positions have been filled.
Mr.. Harding feels that the situation
has reached a grave point The union
leaders have told him they would
bring the executives 20 their knees
within a week. This means spread OF
the transportation tie up and more
hardships 20 the public Will the pres
Ident permit i-a The chief difficulty
IN answering that question is the fact
rha, both railway executives and union
leaders do not think Mr.. Harding has
the power to compel them 10 reach
settlement
Asks Uniform Acceptance
The leaders of the shopmeu want
uniform acceptance. Administration
officials say il is their understanding
that the majority report OF the railway
executives binds minority. for although
tho association of railway executives Is
purely a voluntary organization spokcs-
men :or that association have told this
correspondent that iu has never happen
Cd that the will OF the majority was not
followed by the minority.
II the shopmen are convinced on this
10
rrent will be removed Naturally they
are Insisting that the president revert
10 his original proposition wherein he
Insisted that all men be returned TO
their former positions with seniority
rights un!mpaired NJ. Harding made
that proposal unofficial as mediator
IL was turned dOwa unanimously by
the executives. His next proposal IS an
oScic!a! call 10 the parties 20 the dis
pute TO let the railroad labor board de-
ride the issue. The railroad executives
have agreed 20 that point and have
voluntarily agreed 20 take back all
the men now on strike except the few
proven guilty 0: violence. In taking
them back. the strikers ret seniority
over the so-callcd strike breakers. but
but they would not rank above the old
workers who remained on the job and
who now have added 10 their record OK
ernplovment the several weeks of the
strikes duration. T.: the strikers. on
coming back insist that they should
&C, seniority over ,hes" loyal workers.
Then Mr.. Harding insists tina, they vii!
ge,t fair and uHprcJudircd hearing oy
the United states railroad labor board
whose decision would he f:Hs!
DIRECTLY. the seniority question is
-. ..r,rtnd 10 nr,Nc troublesome
Uhen the strike is over and tn" mon are
hack 70 worN The strike breakers are
expected 70 disappear anyway and as
Tor ,hc men who STAYED on IN" job, the
,yr,ber is not 20 large IS TO present ar
rsuperable problem. for seniority
~Asns preference in certain kinds 81
yo-k and the feeling her" = that wher
,o4 reads start operations N full h'a@'
szar- the will have n""d for 'ranl
-. r,s- ,rar he Ns-e smri"''ng e'
t5.s ths etIlAs occurred.