New-York tribune., 1922-07-20
Rail Farley
Ends i'm Split
On Seniority
tcontInued from page one,

has been severe in touching on the
stand of the strikers.
The statement follows:
Last Saturday l endeavored to in
form the public as to tho progress OF
certain efforts to terminate the strike.
The divergency between the carriers
then 80 wide as to discourage further
activities in behalf of settlement.
Rather unexpectedly, however, the mat"
ter was taken up again on that same
day. On that afternoon Mr. Wharton
and / held long conference with Mr..
Jewell and the heads Of the seven strik
ing organizations. 1t was then indi-
Gated by Mr.. Jewell and his associates
that they would be willing to submit
to their committee of ninety men for
approval an agreed program II the car
riers concurred in same.
"The plan proposed was as follows:
"First~-That the carriers which had
arbitrarily changed the wages and
working conditions Of the employees
represented by said seven organiza-
tions, by means Of the contract sys-
tenn, in violation of the Railroad Labor
Boards decisions, should withdraw
from this practice. This applied to
only q few roads, as the others had
heretofore announced their willingness
to cancel such contracts. The principal
of those that have not yet made such
announcement are the Erie and West
ern Maryland
"Second-That the authority granted
by the transportation act to the car
riers and their employees to set up an
adjustment board or boards be exer
csed by tho establishment of ma
tional adjustment board, with the en-
tire jurisdiction authorized by said act,
namely, the hearing Of all disputes cx-
cept those affecting wages.
Wages Left Up TO Board
"Third, that the employees involved
in the strike proceed in conformity
with the Transportation Act in the
settlement of the disputed rules and
Board a rehearing of the recent wage
decision and promptly submitting the
seven disputed rules to the Adjust
ment Board, with the statutory right
of appeal to the Labor Board.
Fourth, the carriers to withdraw or
dismiss all law suits growing OCT of
the strike.
Fifth, all men now on strike, those
| laid off, furloughed or on leave of
absence to be returned to worh and
their former positions, with seniority
and other rights unimpaired.
Gas method for securing a confer
ence fully representing the carriecs
and the employees concerned. it was
contemplated that the Railroad Labor
Board should call hearing for that
purpose.
"In the absence of an organization
authorized to speak for all the car
riers, | submitted this proposal to cer-
tain railway executives, who are con-
sidered fair and conservative meu
These gentlemen claimed no represent
ative authority, but If a tentative ar
rangement could have been perfected
it was to be submitted to the other
executives, and, in fact, it is my in
formation that the above suggestions
have been laid before a good many
other executives.
"My investigation of the attitude OF
the carriers has convinced me that II ,
serious obstacle is to be found in any
of the items above enumerated except
the fifth.
"As there does not seem to be any
probability of reconciing the antipodal
views of the carriers anc the men on
the question at issue, the Labor Board
and none of its members are now en-
gagged in any further efforts along that
line"
AS backing their official stand on the
question, the Western railroad exeeu-
tives issued statement through their
committee on public relations, in
which, notably, only the seniority issue
was discussed. This said:
There are snow no conferences in
progress looking toward a settlement
of the shopcrafts' strike Chairman
Hooper, of the Labor Board, has held
informal conferences with some rail
way executives, but these have had
no results and are now at an end.
Since the strike was called the So
called question of seniority rights has
arisen and has now become one of i'm
portance.
"The public should be fully and
clearly advised of what is involved in
this question. Seniority is based on
length of continuous service. and de-