The Washington times., 1922-08-23
RAIL Men
CONFER ON.
SENIORITY
Secretary Indicates Efforts e
Reach Settlement Will
End Today.

NEW YORK, Aug. ga sud.
den and sensational movement In
the direction Of settlement Of the
national strike Of railway shopmen
was taken this afternoon when the
leaders OF the five railway brother
hoods went into Join session with n
committee Of the railway execu.
tlyes. just before the meeting
began the brotherhood chiefs had
issned . statement saying fhsf the
strike smust be and can be settled.
NEW YORK, Aug: 23.when the
representatives of the 14S rail
roads adjourned for lunch at ]
o'clock this afternoon, they had
not yet reached decision upon
the proposals for ending the ma
tional strike Of shopmen submitted
to them by the leaders Of the
five railroad brotherhoods, acting
as a mediation committee.
IL was announced that the ex-
ecutives would reassemble later In
the afternoon.
Expect To Wind Up.
I'VE may finish up today so far
as the present meeting is con.
cerned." said Robert Binkerd. sec.
retary of the conference.
This was taken to indicate that
committee OF executives might
meet the mediation committee OF
the brotherhoods later on. The
big obstacle was the question of
B. r. Bush, President OF the
seniority rights for the strikers.
Missouri Pacific, said he would
leave for home tomorrow morning,
indicating there viii be no meet.
ing tomorrow.
There were two currents Of opinion
when the meeting began at 10
o'clock. Heads Of many OF the West
ern railroads were optimistic and
some OF them favored concessions
On the other hand leaders Of the
big Eastern rail systems were
standing pat" and were strongly
opposing any modification OF Their
stand on seniority.
Western Rosds Want Peace.
Officials OF Western roads pointed
to the necessity Of moving crops and
the scarcity OF fuel In the Western
States as the two chief factors ir
making an early settlement Of the
strike imperative.
The leaders OF the die hards" con
tended that II they gave in, II would
put them in the position Of beine
dictated to by the employees on the
important question OF seniority
rights.
II was hoped that the executive.
would make sufficient speed to en-
able a committee to go into Join,
conference with the representative
OF the five brotherhoods later ir
| the day. T aN
Union leaders at their head
quarters conferred informally among
the representatives during the
morning. They made II plain that
they would not call off the strike
unless the men received guarantee,
as to their seniority rights.
After the meeting had been In
progress for about an hour Presi
dent A. III. Smith, OF the New York
Central, left the room. He was asked
II the meeting was making progress
They have not done anything
yet" exclaimed Mr.. Smith. "A lot
of them have considerable to get of
their chest and nothing can be ac
complished until this is done"
Meet In n Glass Room.
The meeting was held in a glass On
closed room at the Yale Club and
from their position the waiting re
porters could see what went on, but
could not hear the deliberations.
| Mr.. Smith. who 10 member OF the
die hard" group, was seen 20 take
President G. II. Markham. OF the IL
linois Central, 70 one side where
they engaged in vigorous conversa
ton. The nature OF the converse
ton was revealed by the violent ges
lures on both sides.