Evening journal., 1922-08-08
union CHIEFS,
R. R. OPERATORS. .
SPURN NEWEST
PEACE MOVE

I i1oHll0utu from flTSt TdEeD
as proposed by Harding. An answer
will be made to Harding tomorrow
when leaders of the shop craftsmen
meet here to pass the proposal.
More ominous than the stand OF
the leaders on the seniority ques-
tion is the call for a general con-
ference here Friday of leaders OF
all railroad labor unions. This was
issued by Jewell and his colleagues.
They invited the heads of the SIX
teen railroad unions including the
powerful big brotherhoods. to meet
here and consider the general prob
lem of devising protection Of the
public, preservation of the railroad
industry and an honorable basis of
settlement for the managers and |
employees"
Officials here believe the Friday |
conference will determine just how
far the allied railroad unions shall
go in helping the strikers.
The strike leaders hold that the |
matter OF seniority rights is not a /
debatahle question; that they are 4
entitled to all their old rights and /
that they viii not surrender these
rights under any consideration.
With all indications pointing TO a
fight 10 the finish between the rail-
roads and the strikers the Friday
conference will reveal whether the
strike will be broadened TO include
many other rail workers.
Any extension of the strike with
the present crippled condition would
threaten a disastrous Generalization
of transportation. Harding, accord
ing to reliable information. will not
hesitate to take the extreme step of ,
taking over the roads. If he believes ,
such action is vital to the welfare +,
OF the country. He has been working
on the policy that all possible efforts =
to end the dispute should be made ,
by the government before seizures of I
the lines. When the leaders of the 7
l6 railroad unions meet here Friday G
TO formulate a united plan of action
he railroad executives will be meet +
Ing in New York to make battle
plans of their own. I
Word here from T. Dewitt Guy {
err chairman Of the Association OF s
Railroad Executives, stated a meet '
ng had been called for that day to @
pass on the new Harding suggestion
hat the railroads reassign the I
strikers to duty pending disposition a
II the seniority question by the rail- z
'oad board. ,
opinion here today was divided ,
'n the probable action of the execu- 9
Ives. In some quarters It was be-
ieved the executives would accept ,
suggestion in view of the
act that they have agreed to abide
~ the decisions OF the board and
hat they have nothing to fear from
he tribunal. This is predicated on :
he boards action on July in prac- !
.ically outlawing the strikers by
stripping them of all rights, ineiud-
ing seniority rights. II
Labor leaders toay insisted on $
placing this construction on the /
boards decision of July 3 in the
ace Of the boards resolution last T
light declaring that the decision \
My touched "inferentially" on the c
eniority question and that It is will n
ng to consider the question anew. L
The situation is being made more e
erious by growing feeling of an c.
mostly on the part of labor leaders 81
gainst the alleged tactics OF guards tt
mployed by the railroads during the W
trike. Il
p. II. Fitzgerald. head of the rail- Of
'ay clerks union. was expected here az
Dday from Cincinnati to place be- H.
're the President afidavits charging al
1at three clerks have been killed to
V these guards and that the lives II
thousands Of the unions members ki
re being endangered by deterior Sc
ting equipment n,
In calling the two labor confer h,
lces Jewell and his colleagues
larged that the railroad executives
tied under the direction Of financial pa
terests on July 81 when they re- in
cted Harding's original proposal w
n settlement OF the strike and he
'epudiated the promise given by be
eir chairman 10 the President and an
fled the spokesmen of the Ameri- W,
IN people" mt