The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-08-11
ROADS STAND BY
/. LOYAL EMPLOYEES
Tell President Harding Old and
New Men Must Be Protected
In Strike Settlement.
NOT A MATTER OF CHOICE
Faithful Employees Have Both Legal
And Moral Rights To Seniority
And Other Benefits.

New York.-The keynote OF the re-
ply made by railway executives repre-
senting more than 100 Class / Rail
roads of the United States to the prop
osition Of President Harding, that "all
strikers be returned to their work and
their former positions with seniority
and other rights unimpaired," lies in
the last paragraph from their reply
to the President as follows:
at il submitted that the striking
former employees cannot be given
preference to employees at present in
the service without doing violence to
every principle Of right and justice
involved in this matter, and without
the grossest breach Of faith on the
part OF the railroads to the men at
present In their service.
"Under these circumstances, It be-
comes apparent that the railroads can
not consider any settlement Of the
present strike which dees not provide
protection in their present employment
both to the loyal employees who re-
NAMED In the service and to the new !.
employees entering It."
The executives had accepted the
first two conditions proposed by the
President namely, that both employ
ers and employees accept the decisions
of the Labor Board, and that all law
suits growing out Of the strike be
withdrawn; and in relation to the
third condition spoke not only as
quoted above, but also as follows:
Agree With The President
"The railroad executives and man.
ayers agree entirely with the Presi-
dents statement in his letter that It Ia
wholly unthinkable that the Railroad
Labor Board can be made useful
agency of the Government in maintain
ing Industrial peace in the railway
service unless employers and workers
are both prompt and unquestioning In
their acceptance Of its decisions
Many men in the service refused to
Join the strike and in so doing were
assured of the seniority rights accru-
ing to them and Of the permanenct
of their positions. On some important
lines so per cent or more refused to
join the strike. To these old loyal EN-
ployees have been added thousands
of new men who were employed and
could be secured only upon a definite
promise that their services would be
retained regardless Of the settlement
of the strike, with all the rights ap
pertaining to such employment, includ
ing that Of seniority under the working
rules and regulations previously ap
proved by the Railroad Labor Board.
"Just The Opposite Effect"
1--WE especially point out that a re-
fusal to the old men who remained in
the service and to the new men who
accepted service of the rights of senior
ity incident to their employment would
have just the opposite effect to that de-
sired by the President, and would most
seriously discredit the Labor Board.
"The board itself prescribed the
rules Of seniority under which the men
referred to have secured their senior
ity rights, and the railroad companies
have neither the legal nor moral right
to deprive these men Of those rights.
By public utterances since the strike
began the board has recognized and
emphasized these rights, and to deny
them now would, instead of upholding
the authority Of the Labor Board, over
throw its rules and discredit its au-
thority.
1.-THE Chairman OF the Labor Board
at the time the strike was called made
the following public statement:
Upon one question the striking en-
ployees should not be deceived Their
leader has said that the strikers are
NO longer employees Of the railways,
and they have thus automatically
abandoned all the rights they possess
under their agreements and under the
decisions of the board, including their
seniority. This is not the boards ac-
tion. 1t is their own.
MANY carriers are giving their for
mer employees the opportunity to re-
enter the service within a limited time.
1t must be understood now that men
who remained in the service and those
who are now entering 1t will have
rights Of seniority that the board could
not ignore
What The Proposed Plan Means
at must be understood that anv nro