The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-07-22
EFFORTS TO
END STRIKE
BROKEN OFF
Roads Refuse to Dis
place New Employ
ees and Grant Sen
iority Rights to Re-
turning Strikers

turning Strikers
Chicago, July 19.-Fai1ure of all
efof-ts to bring about the settle
ment Of the countrywide strike of
the railway shopmen was an
nounced tonight in a statement is
sued by Ben. W. Hooper. chairman
of the United States Railway La
Dor Board.
AS there does not seem to be
any probability of reconciling the
antipodal views of the carriers and
the men on the question at issue.
the labor board and none of its
members are now engaged in any
further efforts along that iine," the.
statement said.
At the same time. the statement
pointed out that virtual agree
ment had been reached between
the rail heads and the strike Lead
ers on all five. of the points ;. in
dispute except that of the return to
the strikers of their seniority rights
Ia question which was not origin
ally in dispute between the roads
and their men.
Railroad executives through the
western presidents committee ON
public relations of the Association
of Railway Executives issued a
statement tonight corroborating
Chairman Hooper's statement that
no further. peace conferences are
being. held and that the seniority
issue was the psincipal stumbling
block:
.There are now no conferences
in progress looking to settlement
Of the shop crafts strike the ex-
ecutives' statement said. Chair
man Hooper of the labor board has
held informal conferences with
some railway executives but these
have had no results and are now
at an end,
Since the strike was called the
so-called question OF seniority
rights has arisen and has now be-.
come one Of importance. /"
Chairman Hooper's statement
said a. conference was held last
Saturday between 5. NJ. jewell,
head Of the shopmen; A. O. Whar-
ton. labor member of board and
Mr.. Hooper and heads of the sew
en- striking organizations when Mr..
jewell indicated he would be will
ing to submit to his committee an
agreed program if the carriers con-
Cured in it.
The program. Mr.. Hooper's state
ment said, was as follows:
First: That the carriers which
had arbitrarily changed the wages
and working conditions OF the. EN-
ployes represented by said seven
organizations, by means of the
contract system in violation of the
railroad labor boards decisions
should withdraw from this prae-
tice. This applied to only a few
roads, as the others had heretofore
announced their willingness to can
eel such contracts.
Second. That the authority
granted by the Transportation Act
to the carriers and their employees
to set up an adjustment. board Or
boards be exercised by the estab-
lishment of q national adjustment
board for the hearing of all dis
putes except those affecting wages.
+ Third: That the employees in-
volvei in the strike proceed in
conformity with the Transportation
Act in the settlement of the dis
puted rules and wages, seeking
from the railroad labor board re-
hearing OF. the recent wage de-.
cisions and promptly submitting
the seven disputed rules to the ad-
justment board. with the statutory
right Of appeal to the labor board
Fourth: The carriers to with
draw or dismiss all law suits grow
ing out of the strike.
Fifth. All men now on strike,
those laid off, fur!oughed or on
leave of absence to be returned to
work and their former positions,
with seniority, AMI other rights un-
impaired.
sAs a method for securing con-
ference fully representing the car
riers and the employees concerned,
it was contemplated that the rail-
road labor board should call
hearing for that purpose.
Mr.. Hooper said he had submit
ted the proposition to several rail-
way executives with the agreement
that if tentative agreement could
be reached it was to be submitted
to other executives.
Mr.. Hooper said he understood
the program had been laid before
a large rumber Of executives.
MY investigation Of the attitude
of the carriers has convinced me-
his statement said that no serious
obstacle is to be found in any OF
the items above nun1erated except
the fifth"
Only sixteen of the 2O1 Class l
roads had entered into the con-
tracing out of shop work and
most of them have not discontinued
it. his statement continued. snd
added that "the great majority OF
the carriers would be pleased to
see that the few remaining hoads
withdrew from it.
The carriers raised no objection
u Nd