Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-08-25
Following Conference With
Rail Heads, Leaders of
MediatorS Admit They
Are PerpIeXed.
SENIORITY ISSUE Is
BONE OF CONTENTION
Craftsmen Said to Have Up
braided Engine and Train
men for Intimating Point
Would Be Yielded,
%, The Assoclntea Prsss.i


eiated Press We are like bats:
we can't see the way OUT Thus
did the chief of one of the five rail-
road brotherhoods describe the
position in which the running
trades found themselves tonight
after their latest efforts to settle
the shopmen's strike, now nearing
the end of its eighth week.
Today peace negotiations cen.
tered on conferences between the
brotherhood chiefs cast as media
tors, and the executives of more
than a score OF roads representing
approximately 80 per cent of the
rail mileage in the United States
conferences which We're called TO
order after the Association OF Rail
way Executives yesterday had
stOutly declined to yield on the
seniority question but some of the
members had indicated an inter
est in a suggestion that separate
agreement might be possible.
Fifty Roads Represented.
Exactly 10 roads, aggregating
about quarter OF the country
mileage, were represented when
the days first session opened At
the Yale club this morning. After
the luncheon recess, during which
the mediators reported back to the
striking shopmen at the Hotel
Woodstock, several more execu-
tives slipped into the general con-
ference, until more than so main
lines and their subsidiaries were
represented when the parley broke
up shortly before 7 o'clock. The
Seaboard Air Line was one of the
roads listed among the conferees
Although both sides professed
themselves no nearer an agree
ment than when they first went
into conference. It was evident
that the door 70 peace had NOT
been entirely closed, for announce
ment was made that another ses
sion was scheduled for tomorrow.
Although no official Statements
were issued regarding the results
of today's parley, Indications were
that the roads represented at the
conference were standing firm
with those which had detailed no
delegates on the decision of their
association not to yield an inch IN
the demand that strikers he rein
stated with full seniority rights,
shopcrafts Oppose IT.
At the same time. shopcraft
leaders in informal comment in
dicated they were not in any mood
to accept individual settlements.
The tone of these comments WAS
that the brotherhood men had not
been authorized to suggest aban
donment of the "all for one and
one for air policy announced by
the unions at the beginning Of tho
strike. Hints We're dropped, after
brotherhood chiefs had stated
graphically that its now up TO tho
shopmen," that the medtatora
would find difficulty in winning
them over to approval of any In
dividual agreements.
When the mediators returned to
labor headquarters for the noon
day conference with the shopcraN
leaders, the report was current
that some definite proposal was
under consideration. Tonight,
however, It was said that only ten
tative suggestions had been ad-
vanced and that negotiations were
still in the discussion stage, with a
poll by either side some way off,
Plan Ia Presented.
The course Of today's debate. az
far as it could be cleaned briefly
was this:
representing the roads interested
in the present negotiations presented
plan which they believed sur
mounted the seniority obstacle.
While the plan was not divulged.
1t was understood to be that strik-
ers should be taken back and per-
mitted through efficiency and
merit, to regin their old rankings
Whatever the proposal, 1t was
said to nave been regarded as too
vaguely worded when it was pre-
sented to the shopcraft leaders by
the mediators during the noon re
cess, and the brotherhood men
were sent back to obtain more
specific proposal.
AT the afternoon session. it was
reported, the mediators obtained
certain assurances which 1t was be-
.lieYed might meet the requirements
of strike leaders. The revised
proposal. it was understood, was
pla ced tonight before the shopcraft
heads, but whether or not 1t was
considered sufficiently specific was
mot revealed.
Local executives, while reticent
tonight, expressed belief that the
rail shopmen were employing the
same plan utilized by the United
Mine Workers in their Cleveland
agreement. The miners, by sign
ing up five per cent of operators,
started movement which they be-
lieve has ended the bituminous
strike.