Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1922-08-02
ROADS NOW
RESPONSIBLE
IS Warming

NEW tUth, hus. i.-iNtfiNaN
executives Of the nation today firm.
~ rejected the program advanced
BY the Harding administration for
settlement Of the rail strike.
Willing Ia accept conditionally
two suggestions put forward by the
White Iiouse--that both sides abide
by wage decisions of the railroad
labor board and that the lawsuits
springlng out of the strike he with.
drawn-tbe heads Of iis roads de-.
cared emphatically that IL was i'm.
possible to reinstate strikers with
unimpaired seniority rights. the
THIRD provision Ia the presidents
plan.
After being told 10y Robert 5. Lovctt
oi tho Union Pacific that there was no
moral or practical reason for budginc
from their position. the executives dis
handed. caught the first trains Tor their
respective headquarters. and indicated
that they were going ahead and would
operate their roads With the forces they
have assembled since the sAopmcu
walked out on July !.
The decision not 90 yield on tho qucs.
ton ot seniority was made known "a
the White House 10y telegraph after the
rail heads had listened 20 20 minute AL
dress by Secret, Of Commerce Hoov.
e. who. as direct rorresontatiNo of The
pfesidcni told thcm. ln effect that the
administration held tho senior.y qucs
tion Of minor Importance Ia compari
son with that OF upholding tho railroad
labor hoard
This action was taken in tho face oi
letter from President Harding od
dressed 20 r Dewitt Cuyler, chairman
~ tho American Association of Railway
Executives. ,mhodyinr "tho terms OF
agreement, as | understood them upon
which the railroad managers and united
shopcraft workers are To agree. pre-,
nminary 10 calling OF the strike"
President Harding had closed his
letter with these two sentences:
Il need hardly add that ! have
r-ason io believe these terms was
accepted by the workers II there
i good reason why the managers
cannot accept. they will h. obligat.
ed 20 open direct negotiations or
assume full responsihilit, for the
situation"
Ia addition Secretary Hoover had
urged upon the executives al their
morning session, when the text OF the
Harding letter was read, that settle
mcnt Of the rail strike was imperative
in view Of the complaining conditions
introduced by the coal strike.
II became apparent from tho very
opening Of ioday's conference that the
seniority question would h. the wedge
which would divide administration and
railway executives.
Only two roads operating In tho Unit
cd States were not reported represented
a, today's conference They were tho
Atlanta. birmingham and Atlantic. and
the Gulf shin Island, both of which
were declared to have bccn unaffected
by the shopmcn's strike.
President \ ~ Smith. 81 the New
York Central apparently crygalIi2ed
the sentiment of the rail chiefs when
he threw upon the conferenc. tahl, A
bundle OF 400 tolograms from foremen
and supervisors ~ tho road. announcing
they would have 20 resign. Il the senior
ity ranks ~ the strikers were returned
Immediately others leapcd 10 their
Zee, to testify 10 similar condition
among officials on their roads
designations would BE- wholesale
from suhforsmcn to general manager.
n their personal pledge. 10 protect pres
cn' cmploycs could not he made good
they declared.
what We want the government N
do j. 10 let us alone; to let as settle
this strike in our own way" declared
Mr. Smith
We have organized now shop force.
and are getting the roads back to no.
NAL Unless the government ceases
its Interference We viii have a far
worse strike on our hands You must
stand by those who stand by YOU d
maintain sciplnc II strikers are re-
instatcd with seniority rights u viii h,
impossible 10 maintain discipline"
samuel FELTON, president of the Chi
cago and Great Western understood "a
D. the leading spirit among repfcsen
tstlvcs Of midwestcrn roads. was stronr
iu his support ~ Mr. Smith ard 'hoss
who echoed his statement
The discussion was wholly one sided
for not q single offCiai Of N. IA aros.
az any time To- propose unqualified ac
.rninncn q iho nrnsllnnt.s nrnnn.al IN