New-York tribune., 1922-08-18

Executives and Big Four
Conferees Seek Basis of
Settlement, While Shop
craft Heads Wait Word
Board Rulings ON
Seniority Scanned
Jewell Declares Finish Of
Coal War Will Be Vital
Factor With Railroads


dCtOF w IIM IealiFDdCS
After the first session Of the con-
ference which began yesterday for
the settlement of the strike Of the
shopmen which has been interfering
with rail transportation throughout
the country since July 1, there were
indications that the strike is nearer
settlement to-day than at any time
since it was declared.
Representatives of the railroad
executives and railroad employees
sat down at the same table in the
offices of the Association of Railway
Executives, 81 Broadway, and dis
cussed the matters in dispute. There
was evidence, in spite Of the re-
ticence of the conference, that the
question of whether the strikers
should retain their seniority rights
if they returned to work, held lead
ing place in the discussion.
Seek Seniority Basis
The fact that the conference adj
journed until to-day after four
hours session was regarded as most
hopeful. 1t was apparent that the
seniority issue, in the form in which
it was presented this time, had not
proved the insurmountable obstacle
it had been in previous discussions.
The authorized spokesmen for both
sides, however, Robert S. Binkerd
for the executives and Bert M. Jewell
for the shopnen, merely said that
negotiations are now in an exceed
ingiy delicate status"
The conference began at 2 o'clock ia&
the afternoon. Before an hour had
elapsed it wss evident that It had got
ten down to business, as the associs-
tion records of two Railroad Labor
Board decisions On seniority were sent
for. These were the decision handed
down in connection with the switch
mems "outlaw" strike OF 1920 and that
rendered in April, 1921, on the waIkout
Of switchmen on the southwestern
roads. Both ruled that seniority rights
of the strikers concerned had been for
feited.
Midway in the session ~ Krz,ft-
schnitt, of the Southern Pacific, de-
parted. Questioned, he replied tnat The
meeting was "still in the discussion
STAGE
DO indications appear favorable for
ftro f,.ilS !,
81 see nothing to warrant Ge6rite
answer to that question now" Mr.
kruttschnitt replied.
All except one of the conferees main
tanned a strict silence after the session
broke up. The exception was C. n.
Markham, president of the Illinois
Central.
"We're still meeting" he sa,d, n
answer to volley OF questions.
Executives Tell of Session
The following official statement was
al thorized by I. De Witt Cuyier, chair
man of the Association of Railway
Executives.
"a conference was held this after
noon between committee of the car
riers and the heads of the five train
service organizations, VINO wished it TO
be distinctly understood that they an
tion. A discussion of the present
railroad situation, SO far as it relates
to the shop crafts strike, took place.
The questions involved were discussed
with the earnest desire to arrive at
solution of the problem, if possible.
No definite conclusion was arrived at.
and the conference was adjourned un-
til tomorrow morning."
One report circulated was that, not
withstanding the official declaration
that the train service heads sought
the conference, this was brought about
to some extent at the behest of the
railroads
When seen last night in the Hotel
Woodstock, where the heads of all the
sixteen unions held a meeting to sake
inventory of tae days results, Bert III.
Jewell. leader of the shopmen, declined
to make ary predictions as to the OUT.
come Of the negotiations, contentinr
himself with saving merely that ssthe
unions are continuing to do everything
possible to brin- about IN amicahia
se' 'S5s- --,A ,,
DE issued this prepared statement,
~ .l.S - view,
en- the Importance of the coal strike
settlement in its relation to the rail-
road situation:
- ne sSt-SWSnl or the cCal strike
VII, to large degree, determine the
settlement of the railroad strike. The
resumption of coal mining and the
vastly increased demand for coal re-
ss,alting, from depleted stocks will forcs
the railroads TO move more coal IN the
next few weeks than ever before III,
history, This means record breaking
demand Tor cars.
Calls Equipment Inadequate
in the face of this demand there Is.
at the present time record-breaking
shortage Of good order coal equipment.
The railroads will be required by
urgent necessity 10 repair their coal
cars in the shortest possible time,
This viii bring the inost insissent kind
of pressure upon the roads TO get Il
maximum number of skilled nechanics
into their shcps. II is safe 70 say shst
there will be places for enc and a hale
times the normal number Of men in
kcoal repair shops alone.
The normal member OF cars suitable
/ fer moving coal il need of repairs ID
about 5 per cent of the total nurabey
Oh the line. Even before the strike
was called, there was an ,SnuracedantAf3