Evening star., 1922-08-22
RAIL PEACE BUNK"
HIT BY SHOPMEN
Statement of Executive At
tackled as Attempt to
Break Conference.
PARLEY ON TOMORROW
Problem of Seniority Again Will
Be Major Issue When Me-
diators Meet.
BY the Associated Press.


NEW YORK, August 22.-Assertions
of L. Z. Loree. chairman of the east
ern presidents conference. that talk
Of peace in the rail strike was "all
bunk were attacked by the eastern
strike committee of shopmen today in
telegram TO Bert NJ. Jewell. presi-
dent of their union, at Washington.
The Loree group of eastern rail-
road executives. Insignificant in mum.
berS, but backed by the vast power OF
the Morsan-Gary open-shop interests,
is seeking desperate eleventh hour
attempt to scuttle the strike settle
ment," said telegram dispatched by
John ]. Dowd, chairman of the metro
politan district strike committee.
Secrecy Declared Violated.
Both sides in the negotiations were
pledged, as you know. by their re-
spective mediation committees to re-
frain from comment that might en-
barrass the conferees. Last evening
Mr. Loree deliberately violated the
agreement and arrogantly attempted
to wreck all settlement progress when
he gave a statement to the press in
which he called peace talk bunk. and
openly belittled the efforts Of the ma
jority of the executives to reach an
agreement with the union mediators.
This latest move of the die hard
minority shows that they will stop at
nothing in their campaign to break
the union on their roads" the message
concluded. I'VE urge you personally
to bring this matter to the immediate
attention OF government authorities
in touch with the strike situation and
with the union mediation committee
of five for their information and guild
ance."
Meet Tomorrow.
The shopcrafts' strike entered another
phase today when rail presidents from
western states began to arrive for
tomorrow's conference of the AsSo-
citation of Railway Executives, where
they will vote their answers to meas
ures proposed by the five big brother
hoods as practical means of settling
the seniority question and ending the
strike.
This will mark the third nation
wide assembling of rail chiefs within
the last month. at which the problem
Of strikers seniority rights has risen
to block the path Of settlement.
President's Plans Submitted.
At the first two meetings plans
submitted by President Harding were
partly accepted. but with reserva-
tions and conditions which eliminated
them as a basis for calling OF the
strike.
IOIHOTTOW lIO IdliHuCiR Will loSC -
new situation-the entrance of the
Big Five brotherhoods into the negotia-
tions, where, as mediators, they have
made plain their attitude toward
seniority rights as applied to their
the striking shop
crafts men.
The response Of the carriers to the
call sent out by T. Dewitt Cuyler,
head of the association, led officials
today to predict that every member
road, including 201 class lines with
over 100000 miles of trackage, would
be represented when the conference
began
Pledged to Secrecy.
Early arrivals would not comment
on the situation, asserting that the
pledge Of secrecy exacted OF both
aides when the executive associations
committee of nine concluded sessions
with the Big Five brotherhood lead
ers Friday night had been SO we'll
maintained as to leave them unin-
formed Of latest developments.
Heads of the sixteen rail workers
unions, including the Big Five OF the
running trades and others of tho
stationary crafts, were expected to
reassemb1e here tonight. Although
1t has not been determined that the
joint conferences can be resumed be-
fore Thursday, they agreed to he in
the city within call tomorrow while
the association of executives Il in
session. a..