New-York tribune., 1922-08-23
Executives Give No Hint
Of Changing Attitude ON
Seniority In Advance Of
Meeting of Association
Cars and Men for
All Needs In Sight
Shopmen Now Pin Faith
TO New Plan, Which Big
a. Chieftains Will Offer

Hope Of the rail strike leaders of
forcing q settlement through a split in
the ranks of the railroad presidents at
to-days meeting Of the 14s members
Of the Association of Railway Execu-
tives at the Yale Club was dimnied last
night by a statement issued by T.. +.
Loree. president of the Delaware Il
Hudson.
The union leaders have been contend
ing that the Southern and Western lines
were in bad way for lack Of men to
move crops and that the officials Of
these roads were ready to concede SEN
iority rights, the chief point in con-
restore full service. They insisted that
the attitude of. the Western and South
eFn men would 6verbalance the deter
mined stand OF the Eastern lines
against restoring seniority rights and
that the union workers stood a good
chance Of victory at to-day's meeting.
Mr.. Loree's view is that none of the
railroads can fly in the face Of the
Railroad Labor Boards thrice ex-
pressed opinion that strikers have lost
all seniority rights.
Plenty of Cars for Grain
In a statement OH the condition Of
the roads Mr.. Loree, who is chairman
Of the Eastern Presidents conference;
announced that the number of cars
now available for carrying grain was
substantially in excess Of 1917 and
that there are no grounds for appre-
heiision as to a full supply of ears fer
the grain movement this year."
Railroad officials have interpreted
this to indicate that the Western and
Southern lines will be under no neces-
sity. to sacrifice any principles involved
III the strike to meet traffic demands.
Mr.. Loree also issued figures on the
coal car situation which promised only
trifiing shortage when maximum
production of coal Is reached. These
hgures apparently were given out to
next winter will not depend upon to-
days decision.
The executives began to arrive for
the meeting last night and gathered
in groups at the hotels for caucus
on the situation. Those who could be
induced to comment said they could
not see how the railroads could give
IN TO the demands of rhe strikers for
full seniority in the face Of the Rail-
road Labor Boards decisions that the
men had no such rights.
There were indications, however,
that numerous roads were not waiting
for action by the association and were
taking matters into their own hands
by ignoring the strikers and forming
new organizations of the employees on
their lines, with whom they were
making agreements on wages and
with the suggestion of the Railroad
Labor Board. This, it was said, is
one of the serevest blows suffered by
the strikers.
big Four" Chiefs Optimistic
The union leaders place great store
on the three new proposals which
l.. q. Sheppard, head of the conduc-
tors brotherhood, will bring before
the conference. Mr.. Sheppard's opti-
mistic views regarding these pro-
posals are shared by Warren E. Stone,
president of the engineers, and d. B.
Robertson, of the firemen and engine
men, who are expected to arrive here
to-day. Some way will have to be
reached to end the strike" said Mr..
Stone at Cleveland last night. ~ am
hopeful of reaching an agreement"
%. Fl. Fitzgerald, president of the
railway clerks, said at Cincinnati that
his Optimism had increased because
OF the seriousness of the situation"
The proposal before the railway
executives" Mr.. Fitzgerald continued,
"ls one that can save the faces of
both the railroad unions and the rail-
road executives. 1t is a proposition
trat both must give and take little,
with the odds 50-50, or perhaps bet
ter, favoring settlement"
John J. Dowd, chairman of the cen
tral strike committee of the metropoli-
tan district, yesterday charged Mr..
Loree with making an eleventh hour
attempt to scuttle settlement of the
shipments strike. The accusation was
contained in telegram Mr.. Dowd sent
to Bert M. Jewell, in which he referred
to a statement made by Mr.. Loree on
Monday that talk of peace on the basis
Of the strikers demands was bunk"
Mr.. Dowd urged Mr.. Jewell to bring
the matter to the attention of govern-
ment authorities and the union media
tion committee of five "for their in
formation and guidance"
The procedure at to-day's meeting
probably will be that the committee Of
eight executives which has been con-
ferring with the "Big Four" brother
hood chiefs acting as mediators for
the shopmen, will report to the asso-
citation the results of last weeks con-
ferences. The executives then may
meet with the mediators again to-mor-
row or Friday, when they will make
known the decision of the association.