The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1922-08-09
HARDING TO ASK CONGRESS
TO ACT INR. R. STRIKE
Similar Steps to End Coal Walkout
Likely If Dispute Is Not Settled
) UNION LEADERS
5ss BEGIN TO GATHER
President Asks House to Continue in
81. Session With Senate After it
81 Reconvenes

sOclated Press. president Harding
has asked Congressional leaders, in
view Of the menacing industrial situa-
ton arising from coal and rail strikes
to hold the House, no win recess, con-
Ztinuously in session along with the
Senate, after the House reconvenes
next Tuesday.
The prospect was that, failing
early settlement of the labor contro-
versies, the administration might
call for legislative action to enable
the government to cope with condi-
tions which thus far have failed to
react favorably to efforts on the
part fthe executive,
Meanwhile, the leaders of all
union organizations in the trans
portation field began to gather in
Washington for conference to de-
termine the. response which shall
be made to President Harding's
latest offer of settlement basis for
the seven railroad unions now on
strike, and to determine as we'll, ac-
cording to statements of those who
will participate, what joint or CO.
operative action the labor forces
shall take in case the Presidents
offer is rejected.
Men Against Proposal
B. M. Jewell, chairman of the
group of officers of the striking
unions, declared that he had re-
ceived hundreds Of kilograms today
from locals Of the shop crafts
"telling us to reject the Presidents
offer; and not single one asking
it's acceptance"
Separate conferences between the
Southern Railway officials and
representatives of the striking shop
men ON it's lines broke up finally
today, when the men declared that
only a national settlement of the
strike could be accepted by them,
even though the railroad conceded
seniority rights to returning strik-
ers, Fairfax Harrison, president of
the railroad, late issued general
notice to all of its employees that
the company considered it had
"more than fulfilled it's obligation
to it's striking employees" and that
its duty was now to provide unim-
paired transportation service. "This
we will PERFORM" Mr.. Harrison de-
clared.
Suggestions were advanced that
Congress might be asked to au-
thorize resumption of federal con-
troll over the railroad systems
should President Harding find it i'm
possible to terminate the strike sat-
isfactorily, with the further posi-
bility that direct legislation amend
ing the Transportation Act might
be sought to make the railroad labor
board decisions in wage matters
binding upon managements and en-
ployes.
There was also q proposal in
some quarters that the jurisdiction
might be given the board by law
over differences which might arise
during strike, as did the present
seniority issue.
Congress May Have to Act
Some cabinet members considered
1t likely that the whole situation
might be put up to Congress in
special presidential message should
prevailing difficulties continue or
multiply, but at the White House
an administration spokesman said
the President would not anticipate
his course.
Mr.. jewell and w. H. Johnston,
president Of the machinists' associa-
tion, in public statements today in
dicated that all the railroad union
heads called to meet Friday would
pass upon the answer the striking
unions will make to the Presidents
final PROPOSAL Giving out figures
on the condition of the railroad
equipment, Mr.. Johnston asserted it
"would take the railroads a year to
get their equipment back into shape
If the strike should stop right now"
They further charged that strike
breakers were being "hired in Eu-
rope, particularly England" by
some of the roads, naming the Ches-
apeake and Ohio as one such road.
1--WE found at Huntington, w. Va,
men who had been brought over for
the purpose" Mr.. Johnston assert
cd, "and we haya cohIod Rr;t;ob 10