New-York tribune., 1922-08-01
Eastern Carriers Against
Receding From Stand OH
Seniority, but Refrain
From Rejecting Terms
Gathering To-day
To Make Decision
Roads May Ask Months
Delay for Final Effort
TO Defeat Shop Unions

When yesterdays meeting OF the
Eastern railway presidents confer
enee broke up. after a three hour ses-
sion, the indications were that enough
dissenting voices will be raised when
President Harding's pease proposals are
laid before all the roads here to-day 10
block n general settlement OF the shop
mems strike. Every executive who
touched upon the seniority issue in yes
terday's discussions spoke OF the moral
obligation resting upon the carriers 10
stand by their men, and every speaker
who took up the situation on his own
road expressed confidence in rs abil-
ity to win II the struggle continues.
Reporters were specifically urged
however. not 10 say that a stand.pat
sentiment against accepting tho Presl-
dents proposals was expressed. II was
pointed oot that II would have been
marked diseourtesy 70 the Administra.
tion IL It's plan had been rejected yes.
terday before It had even been trans
mitted 70 Mr.. Cuylcr, president Of the
Association Of Railway Executives, or
L. F. Loree, president OF the D. & H.,
and before Mr. Harding had n chance
10 explain his reasons for desiring an
immediate settlement. The suggestion
OF truce was not even discussed, ae-
cording 10 report given out after the
meeting. The executives were willing
20 have II made clear that they arc
confident Of their strength and op-
posed TO giving in on seniority, but
they did not wish this 10 be interpreted
as an advance reputation OF n govern
men. request for concessions.
Remain Open 10 Conviction
Ia brief, the sense Of the meeting ap-
peareo 10 be that the Eastern execu-
tives arc opposed TO backing down. but
are open 70 conviction. Inasmueh as
these roads employed 45 per cent Of all
the shopmen az work last June their
stand is considered the determining
factor IN to-day's deliberations.
One thing was definitely established
by the report Of the deliberations given
out for the newspapers. Despite all
statements TO the contrary the lines in
this section of tho country, and prob
ably those elsewhere, feel in no way
committed ID falling in with the gov
ernment's settlement terms. The state
ment declared that the executives
seriously challenged the parentage Of
the report from Chicago, on the
authority Of "a man in close Official
touch with the situation" that to-day's
meeting here Is conyening merely TO
give formal ratification 10 peace terms
Of whose acceptance the government
has already been assured. And II
definitely denied that either Mr.. Cuyle
or General ". W. Atterbury, vice.
president Of the Pennsylvania, had
given any such assurance 20 the Presi-
dent.
Gain in Workers Shown
The summary OF conditions existing
on the Eastern roads last Friday, given
out presumably on the basis OF con-
ndential information exchanged among
The managers themselves, declared
that on that day there were 97,1O0 men
employed in the shops on these roads,
or 81 per cent OF the normal strength
Of 1882. This showed gain OF
II 29s in the preceding week and com
pared with 90 per cent shop force
reported. when the strike began. The
publication Of these figures was taken
as an indication that the Eastern
roads are likely to assume the attitude
that the strike is so nearly onset IN
tins section that they should not be
expected 20 make concessions 10 the
men who went out July !.
As an Indication Of the attitude the
members OF this conference will take
to-day, however. more emphasis was
placed on the reiteration OF their STAND
that 10 yield on the seniority issue
would be dishonorable. for II was not
thought likely that IL concessions on
this point are In the air the executives
would have so s,igmatized them.
A. II. Smith, president Of the New
York Central, and one time considered
bv the unions one OF the men most IN.
eiined 10 make terms. repeated that u
VISA the duty OF the roads 70 be loyal
10 those who had been loyal TO them
Mr. Loree, chairman Of the conference,
VINO will be spokesman for the Eastern
roads to-day, declared that seniority
eeased 70 be an academic question
(coniiruss sn ser; passl