The New York herald., 1922-08-15
Brotherhoods Have Case.

Brotherhoods Have Case.
MIR. Sheppard made it clear that the
shopmen had left their case entirely In
the hands of the brotherhoods, and this
carried the Implication that whatever
agreement can be reached between the
n.oderates and the big Four" Will be
practically binding on the shopmen, who
are as good as defeated except for the
aid and succor of the powerful train
mems unions.
Publication of the answer of the shop
men to the President and of the state
nent submitted to him on Saturday oy
the brotherhoods was considered at
joint conference of the two elements to-
day in connection with other features OF
the situation. 1t was decided to hold up
these statements, probably because Of
the belief of the brotherhood leaders
that every avenue should be explored
lefore the contending factions are left
facing each other for a finish fight.
The representatives of the brother
hoods who saw the President and the
) examinations they spoke for were
NEarren 5. Stone. locomotive engineers
N ! r.. Sheppard. conductors: w. N. Doak
trainmen ID. B. Robertson, firemen: T.
e. Cashen, firemen: f. G. Manion
telegraphers L. F. Cradle, maintenance
or way men: J. G. Luhrsen. dispatchers,
and ID. w. Helt. signalmen.
Secretary of Labor Davis accom-
PANIED the brotherhood representatives
II the White House conference. The
situation had been discussed with him
earlier in the day by Messrs. Sheppard
and Doak as spokesman for the con-
ference OF railroad brotherhoods and
Unions. 1t was not indicated. how
ever, that the conference was sug-
gested by him.
Senator Watson (Rep, Ind) came
TO see the President by appointment
at 9 o'clock, but the conference was In
progress and the Senator departed
without seeing the Chief Executive.
1t was taken that he went to the
White House to seek advice as to what
the President had in mind on the eve
OF the reassembling of the House.
THE New York HERALD was reliably
informed that up to 2 o'clock in the
afternoon the President had not pre-
pared any statement to the House and
senate on the rail crisis. The belief
now is that he will mark time pending
the outcome of the move proposed by
the brotherhood leaders.
seek to Meet Moderates.
The move Is significant for the Close
parallel ii gives TO that executed by
John l.. Lewis, president OF the United
Mine Workers of America, when the
mediation efforts Of the Administratior
10 end the coal strike failed. Just as III
got a conference with the majority o.
operators which he called the "competf
tive feld." Messrs. Stone and Sheppard
are now seeking a conference with thu
majority of the railroad executives z
whom they refer as the ''moderates
What will happen If this move fails
responsible officials simply hesitate ever
10 speculate on. Conceding that the
hrotherhoods will not authorize walk
out there still looms the big possibility
that there will be so much demoraiSa'
tfon through sympathetic action on ths
part Of employees and Legitimate deser'
lions Of engines because of defects tnal
ali the effects of a general strike would
be produced. ;,
Gestures by the Administration and
orders by the Department OF Justice 70
punish couspiracies, are all very well
except that Il would be virtually Inn
possible to tell when there was a case
OF conspiracy or legitimate refusal &c
move faulty engine.
The point made In connection with the
effects that sympathetic action on q
large scale would have Is that the Gov
ernmcnt would be practically powerlesl
10 punish sporadic and frequent inter
ferences In widely scattered parts oi
the country. To all intents and pur.
poses. therefore. Department OF JUS
iice action is not considered to any de-
gree a guarantee for the nation In the
crisis that would develop.
Indications were forthcoming that
some of the roads that were disposed
To be moderate" are beginning to nc.
cept the proposition that II must be a
eight TO a finish" Fairfax Harrison
president OF the Southern Railway. who
had been holding the places open for Its
striking employees. issued a statement
declaring that he would hll these places
and would depend on the loyalty of the
new employees to operate the road.