The Washington herald., 1922-08-11
HOOPER In CAPITAL
Rail Board Chief Will
Remain in City for
Conferences.
B. M. JEWELL CLOSES
DOOR TO CHAIRMAN
Unions Will Reject Presi-
dents Proposal, Is
General Belief.


radio strikes by Big Four" railroad
brotherhood members will increase
rapidly within the next few days
throughout the country, the admin
istration is now concentrating on
possible legislative steps to meet
the crisis.
Consideration of final action on
the Presidents latest peace offer is
now under way by the. striking
shopcrafts' employees Bert NJ. Jewel,
leader of the strike, and the seven
chief executives of the shopcrafts
unions were in conference all yes
terday framing their reply and
gathering further data to show the
bad condition OF the railroads. They
will continue their deliberations to-
day. 1t was said. in conjunction with
the big Four" brotherhood chiefs.
After this conference. the reply will
be forwarded to the White House
But it Is expected that the shop
mems reply will not be ready for
few days. Leaders of the strikers
here said they thought the execu-
tives-meeting in New York today
should answer the President first.
because the responsibility for con-
tinuation of the strike rests with
them. The strikers feel they showed
their good faith by accepting the
Presidents hrst proposal.
Out.tanding Developments
Meantime. in government circles.
the following developments bearing
on the railroad strike have been
noted:
/. Chairman Ben W. Hooper. Of
the Railroad Labor Board, arrived
here yesterday and will confer with
administration leaders. including
Senators Cummings and Watson. on
legislation which would force a set
tlement of the strike by putting
teeth in the Labor Board He
conferred with the President at the
White House and expects to remain
here subject to call from President
Harding or Congress to give such
information as may be necessary to
fthe governments next step. Hooper
declined to reveal the substance of
his White House conference, but
said he will submit his recommended
tions for remedial legislation to
Senator Cummins in person while
here, instead of by letter from Chi
caEo as originally planned during
his brief visit here week ago.
2. Successive conferences at the
white House between President
Harding and Secretaries Weeks.
Hoover and Fall and Chairman
Lasker OF the Shipping Board. on
subjects relating to the threatening
transportation tie-up.
3. A general impression among
Cabinet officials that the railroad
executives may accept the Presi-
dents proposition. This feeling, 1t
was said. originated in a belief that
the executives would concede in
the interest of conciliation. While
officials are highly sceptical that
such favorable action by the exec
utives would settle the strike.
nevertheless they said IT would at
least even up the score"
Suspicious of Hooper.
The presence OF Chairman Hooper
in Washington on the eve of the
sixteen railroad unions meeting
was thought by labor leaders to
foreshadow an attempt by the Rail
road Labor Board to "eat humble
pie" in the camp of the employees.
Jewell. however. when informed of
Hoper's presence. made il clear
that the Labor Boards chief need
informed IL he attempted entry into
the employees conference.
While the brotherhood leaders are
not expecte to issue a strike call.
they are. nevertheless. expected to
address a communication to the
President pointing out that 1t is
impossible to- continue the opera
tion of locomotives and cars be-
AF R,-f
they are expected to justify the
sporadic strikes now fast increas-
ing the ranks of the voluntarily
unemployed.
One of the plans which the ad-
ministration is considering seri-
ously. is to take over only such
roads as fail to furnish adequate
service as a result of the shopmen's
strike. This plan, strike leaders
declared yesterday. would furnish
no effective solution to the railroad
problem. They made 1t clear that
the government must deal with the
railroads as a whole. and that they
would refuse to go back to work
unless the government takes over
all the roads.
The strikers are awaiting a re-
sponse from the Department of La
Dor concerning the complaint which
they made against the railroads for
alleged violation of the contract
labor law in importing strike
breakers from Europe. They are
having a careful watch made for
such cases and expect to report
them as fast as they hear of them.
TlIinois Central Trackmen