Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-07-28
LABOR BOARD
MAY HAVE TO
REVERSE ITSELF
Original Position Th q t
Strikers Abandon Their
Rights Not Tenable
SENIORITY is VITAL
Opinion Persists That Strikers Must
Return to Work With Understand
ing That Labor Board Will Reopen
Issues.

On July Sth, Chairman Hooper Of
the Railroad Labor Board handed tt
the press a formal statement which
contained this paragraph:
Upon one question, the striking
employees should not be deceived
Their leader has said that the strikers
are no longer employees of the rail.
ways, and they have thus automati'
caliv abandoned all the rights they
possess under their agreements anC
under the decisions of this Board, in,
cluding their seniority. This is not
the Boards action. 1t is their owl
action"
President Harding yesterday con.
ferred with w. W. Atterbury, vice
president of the Pennsylvania system
Upon leaving the White House Mr.
Atterbury gave to the press briet
statement, relating mainly to the
seniority issue. The statement has
been subject to varied interpreta-
tions. and it is obvious that the words
employed were chiefly designed tC
conceal thought.
If one will bear in mind the open
ing paragraph from the Hooper eX-
hortation, handed to the writer to-
day by railway executive, and re-
fleet upon the apparently fruitlesS
visit of Atterbury to the White House
he will get a line on the whyfores OF
the failure to settle at least one OF
the major strikes-the strike of the
shopmen that is for the moment up
permost in the minds of the Admins.
tration and its advisers. 1t is now felt
that the July Sth utterance of the
Railroad Labor Board was tactless, if
not positively i'll advised. 1t accen-
tuates the impasse, the difficulties
under which the President has labor
ed in his mediation program, for the
action of this branch of the Federal
service this governmental agency
which has been given all possible
support by the President-the rail
road executives have been favored
with a mandate to do just what they
have done in dealing with the senior
ity question. These executives are
now telling the President that it is
manifestly impossible for them to &c
back on the new men who have come
into the service with a promise OF
the moral support, not only OF the
management of the several carriers
but Of the. government itself.
The government is moving rather
steadily now in the direction of con-
ciliation, for settlement with the
men out on strike. rather than engage
in any effort to break the strike. OF
break down the old union orgamza-
tions, an effort which a great many
people looked for when the Labor
Board uttered the words quoted
which have been resented by Jewell
and his associates.
Not only did this Federal body
take a position in the early days OF
the strike in harmony with the posi-
tion occupied at this time by the AS
sociation of Railway Executives, but
in the formal statement alluded to
Chairman Hooper Indicated his view
that it would be grossly improper,
to alter or modify any decision Of the
Board. But under the ineXorable pres
sure of events that august BODY
finds itself faced with virtual pro
nosal. from another and higher
Federal agency, to do lust TINS gross
and improper" thing. because 1t has
been found very difficult to COM
promise with the issue-the Presl-
dent, the railway executives and the
Labor Board must determine whether
thev are going to stand by the new,
or the old, men.
The question of course protrudes IN
acute form whether this railroad
craft union is going to be permitted
to triumph not only over the carriers,
but over the Federal government as
well. 1t is highly distasteful to be OBJ
ligated to deal with the issue in this
form, but President Harding and a
number of the executives harbor
doubts upon the point of whether. the
TRANSFORMATION systems can continue
to function with the aid of the new
men. and there is growing feeling
that theories, however attractive, and
academic questions, however import
ant as such. must give way before
the demand of the generality Of peo-
ple for food and fuel. Some think
that, through White House interven-
ton, the strike will be settled within
forty-eight hours, and that the only
possible basis of settlement Will be
for the strikers to return to their
work with the understanding that the
Labor Board will once more take I'M
der advisemcnt the matter of senior
ity, whatever it may have said or
July Sth.
The report persists that the South
ern. following the example of the Bal
timore and Ohio system, is negotiat-
ing for an independent settlement
with its men. This is mistake. No
such negotiations are under way. Of
ficers of the Southern are not mem
bo,e of +bo Association of Railway