The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-26
FIGHT TO FINISH SEEN IN STRIKE
 AS FARLEY FAILS.
(Continued from Page one)

turned to work. there remained any unsettled dispute growing out of the situation which the companies and the representatives of the employees were unable to settle, indirect con- ference, such matters should be re- ferred for final determination to a commission of 10 members to be made up of the chief executives of the five train and enginemen's brotherhoods who were acting as mediators and the five railroad executives expe- rienced in matters such as would nat urally come before a committee of that kind"
 The reply which the shopmen made to the executives follows:
 We have the proposal providing terms which are suggested as a basis on which part of the men on strike on certain railroads may return to work. Consideration of the propos- al of this nature must necessarily embrace a serious consideration of causes of existing conditions and all matters leading to such conditions as well as the effect of any steps taken at this time. as they will af- feet the welfare of the men involv- ed and the peace, stability and ef- ficiency of the railroad industry.
 Conditions Intolcrable
 The strike occurred because of conditions intolerable to the men, coupled with excessive reduction in wages. In accepting the proposal of President Harding of July 31. the rep- resentatives of the men involved agreed to resumption of work with out a settlement of either of the two remaining issues that were original ly involved in the difficulty. namely those concerning wages and work ing conditions. In agreeing to re- sume wor kand to leave these mat ters to the railroad labor board for reahearing the men made all the concessions that should be required or expected of them in the interest of peace in the industry the other issues involved in the strike. that of contracting out Of shops and work having been declared Illegal by the railroad labor board and all other government authorities that considered the matter The question of the standing of the men on strike as railroad employees was not an is- sue until injected by the railroad homogeneous, and only became an is- sue when the railroad arrangements refused the terms of agreement pro- posed by President Harding.
 No Guarantees
 "To accept or submit for accept ance the present proposal that oar- ries no visible guarantee or assur- ance of the protection of the rights or standing of the men as railroad employees held by them prior to the strike and earned by years of con- tinuance and efficient service would mean that we asked the men on less than one third of the roads affected to return to work yielding to every demand of railroad arrangements. re- ceiving only such standing as em- ployes as might be granted by man. agements after their return or later determined by the commission pro- vided for in the proposition. and that employees of less than one third the mileage now involved returns to work under such conditions as would leave the remaining employees of more than two-thirds of the mileage out Of railroad employment, and by return ing to work would in that measure destroy the effectiveness of the strike, as of today.
 Includes Only Shopmen Even on the roads represented the proposition does not contemplate the return of all men on strike. It only includes those under the head ing of shop crafts. while 1t is known and agreed that many men other than those coming under this designation are at present on strike.
 There is no intent on our part to question the integrity of railroads now conferring, but 1t must be ob- vious to all that action can be talk en only on matters already defined in the propositions made. Our first concern must be the interest of all mon involved We. the representa- tives of the men on strike, cannot recommend to the men their ac- ceptance of this proposition without ! deliberately and copscientiously sac rificing the interest of the men in- volved.
 We fully appreciate the help, inc terest. and efforts of the transpor- tation organization, executives in their capacity as mediators. and we will regret 1t If compelled to report to our people that their splendid efforts failed because of the arbi- trary position taken by the carries Ito produce some clear. concrete prop osition that we could present to G~d conscientiously recommend to the | <x s