New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-13
Nine From Each Side Meet
in Night Session, With
Secretary Davis in Direct
Charge of Conference
Council Follows
Talk With Harding
Presidents A dvisers at
His Side as He Goes From
One Group to the Other
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.-Di-
rect negotiations between spokes-
men for the 100000 striking shop
men and representatives Of the
railroads for settlement of their
controversy before it's extension
brings greater industrial crisis
began in secret meeting tonight
at the New Willard Hotel here.
The conference, the first joint
peace effort between the two fac
tons since the walk-out began, was
arranged after President Harding
in the afternoon had discussed the
situation in great detail, first with
the representatives of the unions
which are not on strike, and then
with the railroad executives. The
union men, led by L. E. Sheppard,
president of the Order of Railway
Conductors, proposed to the Presi-
dent that they be allowed to medi-
ate between the striking shopn1en,
and the roads.
Secretary Davis in Charge
Secretary Of Labor Davis, to whom
credit is given for arranging TO-
nights peace conference, took charge
of the negotiations. Present as the
personal representative of President
Harding was George Christian, his
secretary. Nine representatives of
the non-striking unions, who acted<
for the shopmen, and an equal mum
ber of delegates from the Associa-'
ton of Railway Executives, held a
long discussion at the hotel.
No hint of what prcgress was
made toward a comprcmise on the
one outstanding point Of difference
between the two factions-tlae res
toration of seniority rights-was
forthcoming from the meeting. The
general belief was, however, that
the discussions were favorable 60
the proposal that the problem be
submitted to arbitration by an i'm
partial tribunal
The meeting tonight was the out
growth of the strenuous efforts made
by the President at the afternoon con-
ferences at the White House to bring
the warning factions together. The
gradual extension of the industrial
paralysis effected by the walk-out here
and there of members of the "Big
Four" train service brotherhoods and
other unions that ostensibly are not on
strike has caused grave concern to the
Administration. Early in the after
noon the President received by mes
senger the shipments formal reply to
his proposal that the seniority issue
be submitted to the Railroad Labor
Board. The road executives delivered
their reply in person, handing the
President q document of ten typewrit-
ten pages.
Neither Reply Decisive
1t is understood that neither reply
was a fat acceptance or rejection Of
the Presidents plan, but from the re-
ports current about the White House,
it was evident that President Harding
saw in the answers nothing that would
enable him to end the strike. In this
situation he is understood to have
go xrtt%h ,1- oat& IL
non-striking unions to mediate between
che shopmen and the roads.
All of to-day's conference were secret.
President Harding specifically request
ed those with whom he discussed the
situation not to disclose what devel-
oped. This injunction was fully kept
by the delegates who met at the New
Willard. In fact, T. Dewitt Cuyler,
chairman Of the Association of Rail-
way Executives, said at 10:45 o'clock
tonight that he knew nothing of any
conference at the hotel He even went
so far as to deny that any conferences
had been called. Other executives
were equally unccmmunicative.
The fact that the non-striking unions,
and particularly the "Big Four" broth
hoods, were selected to play the role
Of mediator was made plain by Mr..
Sheppard after he left the White House
when he said that the shop men "havs
left their case in the bro9herhoods'
hands"
Direct Negotiations Desired
1t was intimated at the White House
late in the afternoon that President
Harding believed that the chief hope of
settling the strike, in view of the re-
plies that had been made to his latest
peace proposal, lay in getting the rast-
road executives into direct negotiations
with representatives Of the shopmen
It was understood, however, that the
President felt that undue publicity of
the basis of the peace negotiations
would jeopardize the chances OF peace,
and, therefore, suggested that the prins
cipals in the discussions maintain ST.
lence until the basis of peace was ast-
ually In sight.
While both the executives and the