Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-08-18


paia d.
4 committee rep csenting the ex-
ccutivcs headed ~ 4. Dewitt Cuyler.
chairman OF their organization.
lunched together ami then conferred
with brotherhood chiefs.
Upon leaving their conference with
the executives the brotherhood hasten
cd to their hotel uptown to discuss
the days developments with the heads
of the 16 other unions.
As silent as when he had entered
the conference chamber. Mr.. Stone dc
clincd to discuss what had transpired.
Bert NJ. Jewell. head of the railway
employees department of the American
Federation Of Labor. who arrived here
this morning to be on hand IL he was
wanted, was equally reticent on the
days parley. lie did state. however.
that although he had not conferred
With labor mon who had attended the
downtown meeting, he believed the
gathering had worked toward a salts
factory solution. Meanwhile he asked
newspaper mon not To speculate on
issues under discussion, but to await
some ConCrctc action.
iioI " ouJ''ui III VI Nht fi'"N~
ing. however, Mr.. jewell issued a
statement advancing the opinion that
the settlement of the coal strike would
to a large degree determine the set
Element Of the railroad strike. because
the roads IN the next few weeks would
he called upon to move the greatest
amount of coal in history and at pres
ont there was I'm unprecedented proper
tion of he'd order ears.
F.. Bert NJ. Jewell, head Of the Railway
/ Labor department of the American
Federation OF Ial or, who arrived in
this city today to be on hand in case
the confcrces wished him, issued Il
statement at the Uptown Hotel at
which the labor leaders had estab-
l,&hc dhoa duuartcrs.
The tttlemcnt of the c:al strike
WILL to large degree, demand the
settlement Of the railroad strike"
said Mr.. Jrw,ll. Tho resumption of
coal mining ana the vastly increased
mahd for coal resulting from de-
pi;ted stocks will force the railroads
to move coal in the next few weeks
than ever before in history"
This means a record demand for
+ cars" continued tire jewell statement.
4 In the face Of this demand there
is at the Pre- sent time a record
I breaking; shortage OF good order
equipment. The railroads will he re-
qur'd by urgent necessity 10 repair
! their coal t:r,; in the shortest period
of time.
! This viii "rinS the most insistent
+ kind OF ii, %Nurc upon roads to get
a maximum number of skilled me-
! 'hanics into their shops. 1t is safe
! to say thtr" viii be places for one
I and ono half times the normal nam
Der of mol in coal car repair shops"
"The normal number of cars suit
able for moving coal in need of re-
PAIRS is about five percent of the total
number. Even before the strike there
I WAS an unprecedented proportion of
bad order cans. The American Rail-
way Association figured that on July
/, IA l. percent needed repairs. On
Judy II, - Is percent needed re-
pair.
"ThcSc are the latest published fig
| tlreS, buc We estimate that at the
present time there arc from 20 to 81
perez Mt Of AL coal cars in bad order
or about 200 900 cars. We estimate
that there VIII be a shortage Of 15,-
GOO cars Il week the moment the
strike is settled.
The abnormal number OF cars
now out Of service viii raise the
weekly shortage close to 10000 cars.
This means that 80 percent of the
coal mined will be withheld from the
consumer through lack of transport
t:ti"n facilities. The maximum mine
production is about $1,000. 900 tons a
w,ci. Tn" averag" coal car capacity
is about A. tons.
~ shortage IF 100000 cars will
thcr. fnIc prevent $500 goo tons of
ooal & week from reaching the con-
SUn,r.'
Mr.. Jewell said his train was one
hour late ana called this Il concrete
illustration of tho inability of the
PtnnSy lVHuia railroad to maintain its
train schedules
Mr.. Jewell said he had not been in
conference with m, mbers OF the COM
mitteo meeting with the rail eXecu-
lives, but asserted he believed the
gathering apparently was working to-
ward a satisfactory solution. He ask
cd newspaper men not to speculate
on the issues under discussion. but to
await some concrete action or deci-
sion.
The point made 10y Mr.. Jcwell--that
1T is safe to say there will be places
for ono and one half times the normal
number of men in coal car repair
Shops"-Was emphasized by other Ia
Dor leaders. who pointed ont that
B more bad order cars Were constant
~ pilng up.
This. they contendcd, would make
it possible for executives to take back
all strikers and still not be forced to
discourage new employees. This con-
tention was made in connection with
the assertion made by executives at
their last session in this city that
pledges made to new workers would
rake il imperative that none OF the
new recruits should be dslodgcd.
Two hints of what had transpired
escaped during the afternoon.
irst. the executives sent for files
containing decisions of the Railroad
Labor Board in which the govern
mfnt body in rulings bsaring on
other strikes, had directed that strik-
ers should forfeit their seniority
rights. This was taken to indicate