New-York tribune., 1922-08-08
Shopmen Call Meeting of
All Rail Unions; Lines
to Take Up Proposal at
Session Here on Friday
Refusal by Both
Sides Is Expected
Executive Wants Them on
Record as Denying Au-
tllority of Labor Board
By Carter Field


WASHINGTON, Aug. Flat re-
lection by both the railroad execu-
tives and the striking shopmen of
President Harding's second attempt
to settle the railroad strike seemed
inevitable late tonight. Spokesman
Of both sides here asserted positively
their belief that the proposal made
by the President to-day could not be
accepted.
After conference with B. M.
jewell, director of the strike, early
in the day-really a continuation of
Saturdays meeting-the President
sent kilograms to both the shopmen
and the executives insisting that the
strikers return to their places at
once, and that the executives take
them back, leaving the only point at
issue, that of seniority, to be set
tied by the Railroad Labor Board.
Strikers Criticise Move
A high official of the shopmen
characterized to~day's move by the
President as 'the most uncalled for
move to end the strike that has yet
been made"
In New York, L. F. Loree, presi-
dent OF the Delaware & Hudson, said
that the new proposal was a "com-
plete surrender of the executives po-
|sition." T. De Witt Cuyler, chairman
of the Association Of Railway Ex-
ecutives, who is at ar Harbor, Me-.
called meeting of the road execu-
tives Friday in New York to act on
the Presidents appeal.
The shopmen declared privately what
they said had been told the President
by their .eaders-that they would
never go back to work until there had
been decision on seniority in ad-
vance. Incidentally, they eft no doubt
that the decision had t. be in their
favor.
The executives, according to their
spokesmen here and to advices from
all over the country, are not willing to
take chance of the Railroad Labor
Board reversing itself. They insist
that the board already has decided the
question of seniority as 1t pertains to
this strike and that any move which
contemplates opening up this question
anew carries with it the risk that they
will be compelled to break the prom
ises they have made, not only 20 the
new men who have been taken on, but
the old men who remained at work.
The attitude of the unions toward
the Presidents proposal is to be drawa
up formally at meeting hers
Wednesday, Mr.. Jewell sent out a
call to the heads of the six shopcrafts
unions to attend the conference an6
also wired w. J. Stone, of the engi-
neers, and E. J. Manion, of the teleg-
raphers, asking them to attend con-
ference here Friday of all railroad
labor organizations to consider ways
of increasing the effectiveness OF the
strike. Mr.. Jewell said later that he
did not expect any general strike ac-
tion, but indicated that the use of bad
order equipment by the roads might
be made the basis of a refusal by some
Of the union men to stay on their jobs.
From Chicago the Railroad Labor
Board sent invitations to all carriers
and striking shopmen to bring befors
the board the question of seniority
rights.
A. o. Wharton, one of the labor mem
bers of the board, offered an amend
ment calculated to rescind the boards
resolution of July 3, which virtually
outlawed the strikers, but he was the
only one voting for his proposal.
Harding Not Confident
The Presidents move to-day, it is
learned, was made in desperation after
it was made clear to Mr. Harding on
Saturday that the shopmen would not
agree to go back to work on any terms
which he believed the railroad execu-
tives would accept Several close adj
visers of the President made personal
statements which led to the belief that
even the President was not supremely
confident that his proposal as maGs to-
day would be accepted by either side.
They gave the inference that the
President made his move to-day for the
purpose of putting both sides on rec
ord, and then letting them look at the
proposition for q few days.
The lapse of time before final action
is required, in the opinion of the Presi-
dents advisers, may bring about a
more reasonable frame of mind than
exists tonight. Every hour passing,
they point out, will show each side the
hopelessness of gaining all the conces-
sions they desire. In the absence of
any direct negotiations between the
executives and the strikers each side
will have at least an idea of what the
other Side is considering by the replies
which must be made to the President.
Summarizes Official View
A spokesman for the President
summed up the White House viewpoint
in the following statement:
Taking cognizance of the fact that
both parties have agreed to the two
base terms of the proposal and the
employees to the third, while the ex-
ecutives have rejected the third, all
Of which leaves only the question of
seniority, and because that is the only
thing in the way of settlement, the
President is calling on both. the en-
| ployees to return to work, the execu-
tives to give them work and the ques-
tion Of seniority to be submitted to
the Labor Board.
"After great reflection and thor.
ie@gh snpastigation Of Rll aysnpss st