New-York tribune., 1922-08-11
Lines to Yield ON Seniority
Issue, Executive Hears;
Jewell Critical, but Du.
bious of "Big ~ Aid
Coal Output Gain !
Favorable Factor
White House Advisers Be.
lieve Seizure Power
Will Not Be Requested
By Carter Field


mism as to the settlement Of both
the coal and rail strikes Is even
higher In Administration circles to4
night than it was just before ths
railroad executives rejected Presi~
dent Harding's first proposal.
Cabinet members and Senators iu
close touch with the President de-
clared that the railroad executives
at their meeting in New York to4
morrow would accept the new pro-
posal of the President. While they
were not so sure that the shipments
union officials will fall into line, they
attach much Importance to the union
meeting to be held here tomorrow.
at which representatives Of the big
Four" brotherhoods, switchmen and
other railroad unions will discuss this
seniority question with the striking
shopmen.
Whatever may be the confidential
advices Of the Administration from the
shormen's union officials, B. NJ. Jewell.
director Of the shopmen. was mora
caustic to-day In criticizing the Presi-
dents proposal than he has been be-
fore.
More Coal Cars Loaded
In the coal situation the optimisns
Of the government is based largely on
Impressed ,loadings Of cars as shown
1or Tuesday as compared with last
Tuesday. which In turn was big in
crease over the same day in the pre-.
yious week.
It was pointed out that the chief
trouble Is in the bottle neck in Ken
tucky, centering around the railroad
junction point of CoTbin. Administra-
tion officials waved aside the dispute
over Henry Ford's offer TO the Louis
vile & Nashville. which has grown to
the point of the governors of Michigsn
and Kentucky laying aside the dipio-
between such officials.
ME-. Ford's railroad Is not the bottle
neck which is bothering US or which
Il congested," one Cabinet mAmber
said. after we get the coal out Of
that bottle neck and up near the south
ern terminal of Mr. Ford's railroad
there are plenty of lines over which It
can be moved to Michigan. We are not
particularly interested in his contro-
versy with the Louisville & Nashville
We are interested in the mining and
movement of coal, and priority orders
will apply against every one who has
a ton Of it."
1t was made clear that the coal from
Mr.. Ford's own mines in Kentucky,
which are in operation, will be sent
under priority orders wherever the fusl
administration decides it shall go.
Non-Union Output Moving
The Administrators is enormously
pleased with the success which has at
tended the movement Of coal from the
non union fields since the priority or
ders went into effect, and attributes
the increase in the movement cf coal
entirely to these priority orders.
A high spokesman for the Admins
tration declared to-day that the gov-
ernment would not take over or op-
crate either the coal-carrying roads or
the coal mines. 1t has been known for
some time that some of the Presidents
advisers advocated this step In the
event of failure to end the emergency
in any other way.
1t was taken for granted after this
statement that for the time being sS
least the possibility of government op-
Grafton has been definitely set sside
and that the President will ask no
such authority from Congress on its
reconvening next week, no matter hew
serious the situation may be.
Union Heads Consult To-day
Meanwhile, with every important
leader Of both the striking shopmen
and all other railroad workers either
now in Washington or on the way, Mr.
Jewell made final preparations for the
opening tomorrow Of the series Of
joint meetings of the representatives
of the entire roster of unionized en-
ployees on which, it is declared, depend
whether the fight will be ended or take
on still more n,enacing proportions.
The invitation from the shipments
chiefs, which is bringing in the heads
of the "Big Four" brotherhoods and
switchmen, who compose the train
purpose of obtaining the "advice and
counsel of the men not on strike be-
fore answering President Harding's re-
quest that the seniority question, which
is the principal obstacle to peace, ba
referred to the Railroad Labor Board
for settlement. Although the union
heads are reticent about committing
themselves further than this, it is clear
that the general gathering intends to
chart definitely the whole OF its course
in the controversy.
A highly explosive atmosphere per-
vades union headquarters. This is
largely due to the feeling of resent
ment among Mr.. Jewell and his assoc
ciates that Mr.. Harding should ask
them to allow the Labor Board to dis
pose Of the question Of restoration Of
seniority rights after having suggest
ed in his previous three-point proposal
that the strikers be given all former
rights il they return to work. The
union leaders say that the President
told them when he made the former
proposal that he believed "it was
right" regardless Of whether it was
acceptable TO the striking men. They
insist that the rejection of that plan
by the executives "does not alter ita
righteousness"
at is time to find out whether the
efforts to SETTLE the strike are ssss