The New York herald., 1922-07-28
Note TO CLEVE DEAN /.
SURPRISES GOMPERS.
Labor Chief Repudiated
Him Before Harding
Sent 1t, He Says.
EYES ON WHITE HOUSE
Shop Men Watching Con-
ference of President, Guy
ler and Jewell.
DEADLOCK ON SENIORITY
Pennsylvania Road Says It's
Force Is Within 20 Per
Cent. of Normal.
DEADLOCK ON SENIORITY


railroad shopmens strike. and Of the
road executives. centered yesterday In
the conferences at Washington be-
tween President Harding and 7. De
Witt Cuyler. chairman of the Associa-
tion of Railway Executives. and Bert
NJ. Jewell, head of the federated shop
crafts and titu.ar leader Of the strike.
Samuel Gompers. president Of the
American Federation Of Labor, aston
ished both sides with the announce
ment that he does not know j. Cleve
Dean, and so advised the White House
before the President answered the
Dean letter.
Members of the metropolitan strike
committee and officials of the lines in
The New York territory confined them
selves to guarded statements concern
ing the suggestion put forward in
Washington that the men return to
wor pendi a reopening Of the wage
dispute by the United States Railroad
abor cd 0l a postponement Of
question of seniority
rights
Mr.. Gompers, who was in the city
addressing the International Ladies'
Garment Workers Union. said that he
was hopeful that a settlement would
grow out of the conferences. II want,
for the benefit Of the whole country,
10 70 ~
Gompers said. But the veteran labor
leader was not so sure that they would
go back unless guaranteed a return
of the status enjoyed before the walk
out.
Line Drawn on Seniorities.
On the other hand some Of the roads.
particularly the New Haven. reiterated
their determination to penalize the men
who quit their jobs. In a statement yes
terday the New Haven said:
Let. there be no misunderstanding
about this. No man who has left our
service on strike will be reemployed
except as a new man. If reemployed at
all. and no qualified man. now or here
after employed. who desires to remain
in our service, will be displaced to
make room for returning strikers
Mr.. Gomperss hopes for a settlement
appeared therefore to be based on a
belief that the roads would capitulate
on the seniority issue. He was en-
phatic in his denunciation of the rail
executives for their refusal to yield this
point and said that hostility and bitter
ness were the only reasons he could
advance for their assuming such a posi-
ton. Mr.. Gompers paid his respects to
the United States Railroad Labor Board
in Webster Hall in the afternoon.
Mr.. Gompers also said he had searched
all available records Of organized labor
in an effort to establish the identity
of the person signing himself -. Cleve
Dean" and described as chairman OF
the railway employees publicity assoct-
alton of Chattanooga. but had failed.
THE more I think about II, the more
/ am convinced that j. Cleve Dean Is
just a man of straw set up by interested
persons Tor a purpose which should be
plainly EVIDENT" Mr.. Gompers said.
Answer surprises GOmperss
The message which drew a lengthy
reply from the White House predicted
that Ito attempt to operate the mines
or the railroads by military forces, or
TO attempt to draft men would result
in the approach of the long predicted
war between capital and labor" Mr..
Compers expressed surprise that the
Administration should have answered
the message.
'The White House called me yester-
day. asking II I knew this man.. said
Mr. Gompers. II told them 7 did not
and had no record of him as an official
Of American labor. I consulted all the
records in Washington and in such
Eastern cities as could reach. and
even telephoned rail headquarters at
Chicago in an effort to learn who was
7. Cleve Dean. No one knew anything
about him. or had ever heard of him,
and I informed the White House to
that effect.
II am positive of one thing. and that
is that the author OF the letter to Presi-
dent Harding is not chairman OF the
RailwaN Employees Publicity Associa-
tion. In view of the undetermined po-
sition Of the man. am surprised the
President answered him;
Dowa Criticixes Atterbury. =
John 7. Dowd, chairman Of the strike
committee, issued the following state
ment regarding the conference between
Gen. w. w. Atterbury. vice-presiden'
OF the Pennsylvania. and President
Harding:
Gen. Atterbury's statement TO the
President that he is willing to submit
the seniority question TO the vote OF the
employees may mean great deal or II
may mean nothing in the settlement OF
the strike.
'1f Gen. Atterbury will submit this
question TO a vote of the entire body OF
men working on the Pennsylvania Rail
road. including engineers and firemen
conductors and trainmen, seniority rights
would probably be allowed and settle
ment might follow.
"If. on the other hand, the vote should
be taken only among the strike breakers
and tho few company union men who
stayed in the shops, the result would
merely reflect tho Generals views
Strike breakers certainly would not
vote seniority rights to strikers, and
company union men are merely the tools
Of tho management.
t. I'VE are glad to know that Gen. After
bury has admitted, at least in princi-
| pie. that the seniority Issue might pos
sibly be compromised by the Pennsyl-
vania. The settlement OF this strike de-
pends largely on Gen. Atterbury. II
he and his small clique had not raised
this issue there would have been peace
a week ago."