Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-08-02
RAIL HEADS Reject
PRESIDENTS PLAN
Declare All Principles of Justice
Prevent Restoration of SEN
iority Rights

New York, Aug. 2-Rahway
executives Tuesday firmly but
courteously rejected the program
advanced by the Harding admin
istration for settlement of the rail
strike.
Willing to accept conditionally
two suggestions put forward by
the White House-that both sides
abide by the wage decisions of
the railroad labor board and that
law suits springing ont OF the
strike be withdrawn-the heads
of 14S roads declared emphatical-
ly that it was impossible to rein
state strikers with unimpaired
seniority rights, the third pro-
vision in the Presidents plan.
After being told by Robert S.
ovett, of the Union Pacific, that
there was no moral or practical
reason for budging from their
position, the executives disband-
cd, indicating that they are going
ahead and would operate their
roads with the forces they had as
sembled since the shopmen walk
ed out July 1st
The decision not to yield as to
seniority was made known to the
White House by telegraph after
the rail heads had listened to
Commute address by Secretary
Of Commerce Herbert Hoover.
who. as direct representative Of
the President. told them = effect
that the administration held the
seniority question of minor i'm
portance in comparison with that
of upholding the labor board.
Warning From Harding Read
This action was taken in the
face of letter from President
Harding addressed to T. Dewitt
Cuyler, chairman OF the American
Association of Railway EXecu-
tives, embodying the terms of
agreement, as / understand them,
on which the railway managers
and united shop craft workers are
to agree, preliminary to calling
off the existing strike"
President Harding had closed
his letter with these two senten-
CeS:
Il need hardly add that | have
reason to believe these terms will
be accepted by the workers. II
there is good reason why the
managers cannot accept, they will
be obligated to open direct nego-
tiations or assume full response
bility for the situation"
In addition, Secretary Hoover
had urged on the executives al
their morning session, when the
text Of the Harding letter was
read, that settlement of the ia
strike was imperative in view Of
the complicated conditions intro
duced by the coal strike.
1t became apparent from the
opening of Tuesdays conference
that the seniority question would
be the wedge which would divide
administration and railway exc
cutives.
After setting forth reasons
why they held this to be an un-
surmountablc obstacle. railroad
chiefs ended their reply to Presi-
dent Harding as follows,
1T is submitted that the strik-
ing former employees cannot be
given preference to employees at
present.in the service without do
ing violence to every principle Of
right and justice involved in this
matter and without the grossest.
breach OF faith on the part of the
railroads to the men at present in
their, service. Under these cir
Gu 4A2nces, it becomes apparent
thatvle railroads cannot consider
any settlement of the present
strike which does not provide pro
lection in their present employ
ment, both to the loyal employees
who remained in the service and
to the new employees entering it.