Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-08-08
(By United PreSS.)


President Harding today request
ed that all members of Congress be
back in Washington next Tuesday
so that both branches of congress
can be prepared to provide prompt
! ly any legislation deemed neces-
! sary to meet the critical railway
! coal strike situation. The eXecu-
! tive action, was accompanied by
a White House declaration that the
seriousness of the industrial crisis
cannot be 'underestimated," was
assumed to indicate that the fed
eral government feels that it will
have to take over the railroads or
the mines or both in order to pro-
tect the public welfare, if the twin
strikes are not settled before next
I week.
Washington, Aug. 8.-Governmen-
tai seizure of the railroads in the
public interest today appeared in
evitable as leaders OF both sides in
the railroad strike indicated their
opposition to President Hardings
latest proposal for settling this men
acing dispute.
Rejection of the proposal will leave
the president with only two moves,
administration leaders said;
A call for a conference between
railroad executives and striker lead
ers to settle their troubles and this
| failing, to take over the railroads.
The President has indicated that
he is nearing the end of his efforts to
mediate the dispute.
Bert VI. Jewell chief of the shop
crafts workers, and other leaders IN
conference here, made it known that
| they are opposed TO having their men
return to work, leaving a determina-
tion of the seniority rights question
to the railroad labor board, as pro-
posed BY Harding. An answer will be
made to the Harding proposal to-
morrow when leaders of the shop
| craftsmen meet here to pass on the
proposal.
More ominous than the stand Of the
| leaders on the seniority question Is
( the call for general conference here
! Friday of RAILROAD labor leaders of all
railroad labor unions. This was is
sued by Jewell and his colleagues.
They invited the heads of the 16
railroad unions, including the power
full Big Brotherhoods, to meet here
and consider the general problem of
devising protection of the public,
preservation Of the railroad industry,
and an honorable basis Of settlement
for the managers and employees"
Officials here believe the Friday
conference will determine just how
far the allied railroads union shall go
in helping the strikers.
The strike leaders hold that the
matter of seniority rights is not de-
batable question; that they are en-
| titled to all their old rights and that
they will not surrender these rights
under any consideration.
When the leaders Of the 16 rail
road unions meet here Friday to
formulate a united plan Of action, the
railroad executives will be meeting
in New York to make battle plans Of
their own. Word here from T. Dewitt
Cuyler, chairman of the Association
of Railroad Executives, stated that a
meeting had been called for that day
to pass on the new Harding sugges-
tion that the railroads reassign the
strikers to duty pending disposition
of the seniority question by the rail
road board.
Opinion here today was divided on
the probable action of the executives.
In some quarters it was believed the
executives would accept Harding s
suggestion in view of the fact that
they have agreed to abide by the de-
cision of the board, and that they
have nothing to fear from the ,rlbu-
nal. This is predicted on the boards
action on July 3 in practically out
lawing the strikers, thereby strip
ping them of all rights including
seniority rights.
Labor leaders today insisted on
placing this construction on the
boards decision of July 3 in the face
declaring that the decision only
of the boards resolution last night
touched "inferentially' on the senior
ity question. and that it is willing
to consider the question anew
With all indications pointing to a
fight to the finish between the rail-
roads and the strikers. this confer
ence will reveal whether the strike
will be broadened to include many
other rail workers.
ANY extension of the strike with the
present crippled condition would
threaten a disastrous demora!l2atlon
of TRANSFORMATION.
New York, Aug. 8.-Railroad ex-
ecutives, summoned to meet here
Friday. today showed no signs Of
backing down from their expressed
stand that they would accept no COM
promise on the question Of seniority
rights of striking shOpmen.
The American Association Of Rail
wav Executives was called to meet
here bv Thomas de Witt Cuyler, presi-
dent of the organization, when he re-
ceived President Harding's latest rail