Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-08-02
RAILROAD EXECUTIVES
REJECT HARDING PLAN
Refuse Agree Administrations Proposal For Restora
tiOn of Full Seniority Rights to Workers on
Returning to Their Jobs
ACCEPT OTHER SUGGESTIONS
Government Officials In Deep Gloom Over Decision of
Transportation Heads-Beeved That WakOut
Will Now Be Finish Fight
nent of the nationwide strike

ment of the nationwide strike.
This announcement was made by
President Loree, of the Delaware and
Hudson, after the heads of l4S roads
had met here yesterday, considered
Mr.. Harding's program, drafted re-
ply and adjourned.
The proposals conditionally accept
ed were that wage decisions rendered
by the Railroad Labor Board should
be accepted by all and that law suits
resulting from the strike should be
withdrawn by both sides for settle
ment by the board.
The vote of railroad executives to
reject President Harding's proposals
| first was announced as unanimous.
This later was corrected to 265 to
! ,, Mr.. Loree. chairman of the Eastern
, conference. explaining he had cast two
votes against the reply sent the White
House becaU>e he did not think the
, executives had taken a strong enough
stand against the seniority proposal.
Mr.. Loree. VINO voted for the Della
ware and Hudson and Kansas City
Southern, added that he was quite in
sympathy with his fellow-eXecutives
as far as they had gone.
The reply to President Harding
was put on the wire to the White
House as soon as it had been drawn up
by a subcommittee, headed by Robert
I s. Lovett, of the Union Pacific, and
approved unanimously by the general
conference.
A summary of the reply made by
railroad executives TO President Hard
ing was made public later by an au-
| thorized spokesman for the confer
ence.
Replying to the first proposal, the
road heads informed the White House
that they did and would abide by wage
decisions of the Railroad Labor Board,
but that they did not consider that to
test the legality of such decisions was
to violate them.
Turning to the second proposal, the
executives said they were willing to
withdraw law suits arising from the
strike. providing conditions were es-
/ tablished so that they could be as
sured of carrying on their operations
without legal protection.
"Impossible," said the executives OF
the third proposition. to put strikers
back on their jobs with their seniority
ranking unaffected Impossible" for
four reasons, added the reply.
Impossible, first, from a point Of
law; impossible, second, from a point
of morality; impossible, also, because
of word pledged to old employees that
they would be repaid for their loyalty;
impossible, in the last place, because
of promises made to new employees
who, the road believed, had helped to
uphold the Labor Board
The executives, it was said, felt
they could not yield on the seniority
issue because the heart of the whole
problem of railroad operation lay in
the efficiency and morale of the super
visory forces The supervisors, it was
added, would feel hurt and discour-
aged if the strikers were reinstated
with their ranking unimpaired.
When Secretary of Commerce Hoov-
er appeared as the representative Of
President Harding before the confer
ence earlier in the day he told the
executives the Administration consid-
cred that the issue of the authority
Of Railroad Labor Board far trans
cended that Of seniority.
This was learned after Mr.. Hoover
! Continued from page SIX