The labor world., 1922-08-19

Word comes from Washington
that President Harding intends to
lay the whole question before con-
gress. and to ask for a grant of
broad powers to enable him to take
over the railroads in the event of a
complete breakdown in transporta-
ton. He may read a special message
to congress today.
Another Washington view is that
the president will proceed against
the shopmen under the Sherman an
; ti-trust law, in which he will hold
that interference with interstate
commerce caused by the strike is
conspiracy in restraint of trade"
Hope that the strike may yet be
settled by direct negotiation with the
railroad executives has not been
abandoned. The chiefs of the Big
Four" brotherhoods are attempting
to arrange conference with the rail
officials and to use their good offices
in bringing about termination OF
the strike.
In the meantime the shopmen are
conducting the strike as if it were
to be fight to finish. THE
strike is won, declared Mr.. Jewell
yesterday. All that is necessary now
is for the railway executives to ad-
nit their defeat. The strikers will
continue with increased vigor and by
every legitimate method their Won
derful demonstration Of loyalty to
their cause and sacrifice for prin-
ciple.
Miners Great Victory.
1.-The United Mine Workers of
America, after being out for 10
weeks. fighting for just principle,
have now won a complete victory.
1.-The striking railroad employees
are fighting for more sacred prin-
>ciples-that is, they are fighting for
compliance with lav' by the en-
ployers; a living wage, .reasonaB4e'
working conditions. and the right Of
their organizations to live and func-
ton in accordance with the program
outlined by the members as ex-
pressed through their votes"
The shopmen feel that President
arding has completely surrendered
to the railroads on the seniority
question. He attempts to dispose of
that question by calling on the
strikers to return to work, calling
upon the carriers to assign them to
work, calling upon both workmen
and carriers under the law to take
the question in dispute to the rail-
road labor board for hearing and de-
cision, and compliance by both
with the decisions rendered."
Why Change of Front?
Just week before the president
made public his latest plan he sub
mitted to the workers and to the
railroad presidents proposition
providing for the restoration of all
the seniority and other rights Of the
strikers as they existed prior to the
strike. The president then said this
was a fair and just basis of settle
ment.
According to the best information
available at the White House, T.
Dewitt Cuyer, president of the AS
sociation of Railway Executives ac-
cepted this first proposition of the
presidents and undertook to urge
its adoption at the meeting of the
railroad executives held in New York
Aug. 1.
! Instead Of accepting the presi-
dents plan the railroad executives
contemptuously rejected it. : Mr..
Jewel declares it was not rejected
|; by the railroads, but by the bankers.
Bankers Issue Orders.
Acting jointly with the bankers,
says Mr.. Jewell, are the organized
employing interests, chambers of
commerce, and other .rade bodies,
and elaborate propaganda organiza-
tions, which are now endeavoring to
manufacture a false public opinion
designed to influence President
Harding and intended to discourage
any efforts on his part looking to
settlement of the strike.
I'VE contend from the outset that
4 nationwide conspiracy was afoot
to destroy, if possible, organized la
bor," continued Mr.. Jewell, "and we
: are prepared to prove that statement
today. If it were simply an issue be-
tween the railroads and the workers
the strike would have been ended be-
fore this, if, indeed it ever started.
= But back of the railroads are influ-
ential, sinister forces that are not
interested in industrial peace but are
endeavoring to establish industrial
autocracy.
#. Bombarding White House.
''These forces are today flooding
the White House with letters and
telegrams urging against any furth-
,er effort on the part of the govern
nlent to restore transportation.
"When President Harding invited
of the strikers and
the railroads to consider his peace
plan the assumption was that there
was a perfect understanding on both
sides OF what the proposal implied.
There could not possibly have been
any misunderstanding as to the basis
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