Evening star., 1922-07-27
Comment Withheld,
But Situation Said
: to Be Covered.
PARLEY ADJOURNS
UNTIL AFTERNOON
Davis Suggestion Said
to Have Brought
Meeting About.
BY the Associated Press.

The White House again To-Day De-
came the center of developments in
the rail strike and the focus of efforts
toward peace. President Harding
meeting in conference first with T.
de Witt Cuyler. chairman of the AS
sociation of Railway Executives. and
then with strike leaders headed by
3. NJ. Jewell, who reached Washington
early in the day from Chicago.
Mr.. Jewell and his colleagues went
into conference with the President
at II o'clock shortly after Mr.. Cuyler
had concluded an hour and half
discussion of the strike situation with
Mr.. Harding.
Awaits Presidents Pleasure.
Mr.. Cuyler on leaving the White
House said he had presented the
viewpoint of the railroad manage
ments and that he would remain in
Washington ito await the pleasure
of the President" but that there had
been no new development in the sit
uation.
Mr. Cuyler indicated that he would
return to the White House for an
other conference after the Preside mt
had discussed the situation with the
strike leaders. Pressed for an opin-
ion as to whether seniority was the
sole stumbling block in the way Of
settlement he said he had seen no
statement from Mr.. Jewell on the
point and could not therefore say
whether that was the position taken
by the unions
The strike leaders held a brief con-
Hr1 hAf nlyNSy
to the White House. the heads of the
six international unions meeting with
William II. Johnston, president of
the international Association of Ma
chinists, another of the labor organ
izations involved in the strike. Mr..
Jewell participated in the conference
only for a few minutes just before 1t
adjourned.
Maintain Absolute silence.
All of the strike leaders maintained
absolute silence regarding their visit
to Washington prior to seeing the
President. even refusing to say
whether they came at the invitation
of Mr.. Harding or upon their own
initiative. The general belief. how
ever, was that Secretary of Labor
Davis during his conference with Mr..
Jewell last week at Mooseheart, ILL.,.
had suggested the leaders come to
Washington and that they had acted
upon that suggestion after Mr.. Davis
had acquainted the President with 1t.
The union chiefs who conferred
with the President, in addition to Mr..
Jewell and Mr. Johnston, included
Timothy Healey, .Rresident. Of the
president Of the blacksmiths; ]. A.
Franklin. president Of the boiler
makers. M. F. Ryan. president Of the
carmen: James Burns. vice president
of the Sheet Metal Workers Union
and Edward Evans, vice president of
the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers.
While Mr.. Cuyler was at the White
House Alfred P. Thorn. general coun-
visited the Department Of Justice.
seeking a conference with Attorney
General Daugherty. The Attorney
General was busy at the time. and an
engagement was made for later in
the day. 1t was understood, however,
that Mr.. Thorn desired to see Mr.
Daugherty on a minor phase Of the
strike situation.
Adjourn TIL 2:3O.
Mr.. Jewell Joined the other union
officials after they had been in ses-
sion for a short while. and later the
conference broke up, all participants
going from it directly to the White
House to see President Harding.
On leaving the White House after
an ur-and-a-half conference, Mr.
Jewell and his associates said they
would again meet with Mr.. Harding
at 2:30 pm. They added they did not
know whether any others besides
themselves would participate in the
afternoon conference.
Mr. Jewell. acting as spokesman
for the group, said the morning con-
ference was confined to general
discussion of the strike situation.
The labor leaders endeavored to give
the President their views as to the
controversy. Mr.. Jewell said, declin-
ing to be drawn out by questions as
to details of the conference discus
sion.