The New York herald., 1922-07-22
SENIORITY BLOCKS
Rail SETTLEMENT
Unions Insistent on This
Point as Shopmen Begin
Fourth Week Of Strike.
ROADS ALSO ARE FIRM
Pennsylvania Says 1t Will
Stand by Agreement
Signed This Week.
SERVICE A BIT IMPAIRED
SERVICE A BIT IMPAIRED
Atterbury Declares 80 Per
Cent. of P. R. R. Employees
Have Stood by Road.

The railroad shopmen's strike enters
it's fourth week to-day. Freight and
passenger service on some of the roads
is impaired, but not demoralized. New
York's food and milk supply has not
been seriously interfered with. The
management Of the more important
roads said yesterday they were better
prepared to cope with the strike than
they were a week after it started.
Telegraphic reports from all points
on the Pennsylvania system showed,
according to officials. that 42,2S4 men
were at work In the shops out OF an
average of $1,000. Other local roads
the Lackawanna, New York Central,
Erie, Baltimore and Ohio. Central Rail-
road Of New Jersey, Lehigh and others
reported similar improved condi-
tions.
While seasoned leaders of the strike
movement would not admit any waver-
| ing In the ranks there were renewed
indications yesterday that the ques-
ton of the restoration Of seniority for
the men who went out was the one big
obstacle to a settlement.
Insist on Seniority.
Ben w. Hooper. chairman Of the
United States Railroad Labor Board,
who was summoned from Chicago yes
terday to confer with President Harding
in Washington, sent this message to
John J. Dowd. international vice presi-
dent Of the boilermakers and chairman
of the central strike committee:
You can. rest assured we will insist
upon every man being returned to work
who came out on strike In accordance
with his seniority rights"
AS against this the management of
the New York, New Haven and Hart
| ford issued this statement:
mo man who has left the service or
strike will be reemployed except as
| new man II reemployed at all; and nc
| qualified man now or hereafter EN-
| ployed who desires to remain In the
service will be displaced to make room
for returning strikers"
The Association Of Railway Execu-
tives through John A. Walber. secre-
tary OF the Bureau of Information OF
| the Eastern Railroads, following the re-
turn of a group of the executives from
q conference on Thursday night with
| members Of athe Senate Committee on
| Interstate Commerce issued this state.
ment:
Roads Pledge Square Deal.
"In the matter of seniority the East
ern roads are standing on square
deal for the men who stood by the roads
and the public in keeping traffic NOV.
ing as against the men who deserted
and have done everything they could tc
prevent It from moving"
Neither l. f. Loree of the Delaware
| and Hudson, chairman Of the executives
who went to Washington. nor any OF
his associates on the committee would
comment further on the meeting.
| The Pennsylvania Railroad yesterday
issued a notice to Its employees that II
would stand by the agreement signed
earlier In the week by representatives
of the Pennsylvania Employees Fedora
ton. The United States Circuit Court
of Appeals in Chicago overruled the de-
cision of the District Court and yester-
day entered a decision on an appeal
taken by the United States Railroad
Labor Board In which 1t finds the sys-
| tenn violated an order of the board
when 1t refused to hold new election
| of representatives OF the employees TO
deal with the management.
! Announcing that 1t would take the
| case to the United States Supreme
| Court, the Pennsylvania adds that 1t
| will protect every employee who has
remained on duty during the strike. as
to seniority or any other guaranteed
rights.
It Is the contention OF the striking
shopmen that the representatives OF
the men elected to deal with the Penn
syivania officials were elected by only
10 per cent. of the vote and that the
system federation of shop crafts should
| be the real representative. vice-Presi-
| dent w. w. Atterbury issued state
ment declaring that 65 per cent. OF the
shopmen and 90 per cent. OF all en-
ployees have stood by the road through
out the strike.
The central strike committee yester-
day sent n telegram to Charles G. Nc
| Chord, chairman OF the Interstate COM
mcrce Commission. requesting In the In
terests of safety that additional loco
motive inspectors be sent to inspect the
motive power OF the railroads In New
| ffAr