Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-08-17
May Be DIGGING
HARD COAL WITHIN
TEN DAY PERIOD
PROMISE OF PARLEY
STAYS HARD|NG'S
HAND IN RAIL STRIKE


Washington, Aug. 16-(By A. P.)
Agreement between railroad exec
! utivcs and railroad labor organization
leaders to hold another conference
tomorrow in New Yo"k looking to a
settlement Of the shipments strike,
it was said today, had resulted in
| President Harding questioning the de-
port to congress and the country on
| the strike situation within the next
| few hours.
Plans made for the reception Of his
communication tomorrow at a joint
| session of the house and senate con-
soquently were understood to be on
the verge of revision tonight, as the
president was represented as being
desirous Of Withholding his statement
of the case if the Union chiefs and
| the railroad presidents could hold out
any prospect Of a mutually satisfac-
: tory settlement.
| Heads of the several railroad labor
| organizations on strike met today
! with the officials of unions not in
volved in the controversy and after
| some delay reached decision to
+ take almost the entire group to New
| York for the discussions with cXecu-
| tives. Though officers of the five or
/ ganiZations of train service employ
! ces, the engineers, conductors, fire
/ mon. brakement, switchmen. will be
: the only ones actually to meet with
the committee of railway executives,
their chairman. Warren S. Stone de-
clared they desired close at hand all
the strike leaders and the spokesmen
for all the other railway unions.
Mr.. Stone and the brotherhood of
ficials who will meet with the rail
executives declared they were not
| taking any prepared proposition to
! the meeting with tie mana gcmcnts.
! L. f. Sheppard, president of the
, Order of Conductors, said the de-
mand Of the strikers for full SEN
! iOrity status in case of their return
10 work could not be modified, and
! The views of the strike leaders ap-
| pcared to coincide entirely with this
| position. The seniority question has
| been the crucial issue in the strike
! situation ever since tho organizations
now out of service agreed to order
their men back pending ro-heanngs
before the Railroad Labor Board of
wage cuts which went into effect
July ].
President Harrison of the South
crn Railway who announced early
this week after attomptionG unsuc-
cessfully to deal separately with the
striking unions on the basis of
granting them the seniority demand,
that the Southern would proceed to
employ outside men, issued a state
mont today declaring that people
al over tho South xxx X now de-
mand that this strike lie fought out"
Public opinion could restore normal
transportation, he said, but if it sup
ports the determination of the strik :
ing shOpmen to disregard he tribunal
set up by Congress to do them jus
tice and agrees that they may write
their own pay checks, then there may
be resumption of work on that
basis, but freight rates must be
again increased"
President Harding who was under
stood to be preparing his message to
Congress. held discussions concern
ing it during the day with Senator
Lodge, the Republican leader in the
Senate. 1t was considered certain,
advisers said. that he would not re-
quest legislation to deal with the rail
strike. although it was regarded as
probable he would assure Congress
that such a request would be made if
the situation necessitated.
! 1t was said to be his intention to
explain the whole industrial situation
in the light of steps taken by the ad-
ministration with reference to the
strikes and it was considered prob
able that he would express deter
mination to give federal aid and pro
lection to efforts to keep the rail-
roads running.
Asked as to the policy Of tho United
Mine Workers regarding the members
in non-unicn fields, Mr.. Lewis said:
1T is the intention of the United
| Mine Workers to exercise the full
moral and financial strength of the or
| EaniZation to sustain and protect its
members in their fight against the
powerful non-union interests who may
continue to fight the principles of col
lective bargaining in the various pro-
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