The Washington times., 1922-07-29
Gentlemen in

those grou WILLIAM HARD
have been in Washington urging
the idea that this strike be allowed
to go along into a fight to the
finish against the unions. The en-
bOdiment of that idea IL Mr.. After
bury, of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company. Mr.. Atterbury Is one Of
The greatest operating railroad men
that this country has ever pro-
duced. He is also an extremely dis
tlnguished Republican political per
son. He is a great figure in rail-
reading. and he is a great figure In
the Republican party Of Pennsyl-
vania This railroad strike is end
ing up with an out-and-out clash
between the Harding idea and the
Atterbury idea.
Mr.. Atterbury, as a member OF the
Labor Committee OF the national or
ganization Of railroad executives.
took the positions: Make no agree
ments with unions" He fought the
so-called national agreement" be.
tween the railroads and the unions.
This agreement had been made dur
ing the war. II was still in existence
last year. Mr.. Atterbury led the
fight against II before the Railroad
Labor Board. The President then
sided with him. The President joined
Mr.. Atterbury in opposing the ma
tional agreement" The Railroad
Labor Board Cancelled and annulled
,the national agreement" This was
the peak OF Mr.. Atterbury's power.
Today the President IL fighting
Mr.. Atterbury's power. He Is fight
ing the whole political and financial
power OF which. Mr.. Atterbury Is
the most conspicuous representative
in this strike. He is promoting a
strike settlement plan which Is
tolerable to the unions and which is
tOlerable to large numbers Of rail
road executives in the west and in
the south. but which Is poison TO the
labor policy OF many eastern railroad
executives linked to the highest
eastern political and financial
circles.
The President is determined to
make these executives obey the
RAILROAD Labor Board. Many OF
them have defied II openly and
continuously. The Railroad Labor
Board has made some 700 de-
cisions in favor of the railroad
companies and some 400 decisions
against the railroad companies. or
these 400 decisions against the rail
road companies there are some 300
which are still being violated by
one or more railroad companies. Mr..
Atterbury has violated Railroad
Labor Board decisions regarding
wages and regarding representation
of employees. The President, in
order to make the decisions Of the
Railroad Labor Board respected by
the unions, believes himself obliged
to make them respected by the
railroads. ...
That is part one Of his strike set.
tlement plan.
The rest Of II is based on the
idea of taking a fresh start and Of
not carrying present grudges to the
logical conclusion of running the rail-
roads or the unions-or the country.
II promises the unions a prompt re-
hearing OF their grievances and II
puts the unions back into the rail
road shops in virtually the same
strength that they had before they
struck.
lniS COuHSel VI
highly obnoxious to the element
which recently has been dominant
IN the national organization of rail-
road executives. This element Is
Centered on New York. Philadelphia
and Boston. II is centered on the
heaviest sources OF Republican H.
nancial support. 1t does not be-
lieve that continuance of the
strike would ruin the country. II
does believe that continuance Of
the strike would ruin the unions or,
al any rate, would thoroughly Grip.
MO and tame them. This element
represents precise,v tho Eastern
raactionarv influences" which the
Western progressive" Republicans
hove charged President Harding
with favoring. Instead OF favoring
them. he IL now at this moment
fighting them.
It Is beginning to he predicted
by many Observers here that the
result Of this fight will be a
strengthening of the President IN
the left wing OF the Republican
party and STRENGTHENING OF the
rartv in the Countrv's great indus.
trial districts. II Is believed by
such observers that the President
has shown that he is not the rep
resentative OF anv one element or
interest in the electorate and that
therefore this strike will give him a
gain in the electorate at large