Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-07-29
President Will Submit Proposals For Compromise to Kali
road Executives and Union Leaders-Believes
Some of Difficulties Clearing Away
rORKERS REPORTED WILLING TO ACCEPT
Heads of Railway Systems Said to Consider Plan Unsatis
factory in rinciple-Rehearing of Shopmen's
Wage Question Included

Washington. July 29.-Oficial an
nouncement was verbally made at the
White House late yesterday that
President Harding was prepared to
submit formal proposals for settle
ment of the railroad strike to meet
ings of the railway executives and OF
the general strike committees of the
shop crafts unions.
The President. it was stated Off
cially. believes that some of the diff
ficulties in the way of an adjustment
Of the trouble which has injured the
nations transportation system, are
clearing away" as the result Of the
conference which he concluded short
ly before the announcement was
made.
Although outlines Of the Presi-
dents proposals leaked out during
the day, Mr.. Harding himself, it was
said, would make public no details
prior to the assembly Of the two par
ties. The executives will meet in New
York Tuesday. but the leaders of the
shop crafts unions, it was said, may
be unable to assemble all of their
strike committee members in Chlca-
90 before Wednesday.
There were indications from vari-
Gus sources close to the two part'3
to the strike that leaders of the shop
men had manifested an inclination to
accept the Presidents plan in the
main and that representatives Of the
executives considered it unsatisfac-
tory in principle. Final decision, how
ever, will rest with conference Of the
two groups.
The President is said to have three
proposals. Outside contracting. it was
reported. would be abandoned under
each Of the proposals. One OF the
proposals, those claiming to have in
formation of the Presidents sugges-
tions said. would be for the railroads
to waive the seniority question and
take all strikers back to work. An
other was said to be to give loyal
men who have remained at work prior
seniority rights over strikers, and the
third was for separate adjustment of
the seniority dispute by each road
with its own employees through joint
committees to be appointed.
The President was said by his ad-
visers to believe that these proposals
promised considerable hope of a
strike settlement and to have de-
clared that more clouds had passed
away" in the railway situation within
the past few hours than for several
weeks.
Rehearing by the Railroad Labor
Board of the shopmen's wage ques-
tion was said to be embraced in all
three of the proposals. One proposal,
it was said. also contemplated that
both employers and employees agree
that hereafter the boards rulings
be observed without question.
The President had suggested with
reference to seniority, it was asserted
that as an initial step under one pro-
posal the Labor Board be given COM
plete jurisdiction over the seniority
controversy. IF this could not be
agreed upon, it was said, the Presi-
dent proposed. as substitu g, the
plan for settlement by the executives
and employees Of each separate road,
through joint committees composed
of three members representing each
party to the controversy. In event Of
disagreement of such committees. it
was proposed that the question then
be taken to some form Of arbitra-
tion tribunal.
Soon after the nature of the
Presidents proposals had become
known and after the Cabinet session
at which it was presumed the Execu-
tive had outlined them to his adj
vsers, Mr.. Jewell appeared at the
White House for another conference
with Harding. The strike leader, who
was unaccompanied, refused TO dis
cuss the situation, declaring "this
thing has come to the point where
we all can do good if we keep quiet
for cuople of days" He said he did
not know how long he and the union
leaders who came here with him yes
terdav from Chicago would remain in
Washington.
Mr.. Jewell went directly from the
White House to a conference with me
associated executive officers Of strik-
ing unions in the railroad service at
machinists' union headquarters. 1t
was indicated the meeting would last
some time.
"Not word," he said as he hasten
ed away.
The conference between Mr.. Jew
ell and his colleagues also ended
without a statement from any of
those participating.