Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-07-06
CHAIRMAN HOOPER
AND UNION CHIEFS
ARE CONC|L|ATORY
Messages Are Exchanged
Looking to Early
Conference.
ROADS ALREADY HAVE
CLEARED CRAVE ISSUE
Vote to Cancel Outside Con.
tracts Regarded InAuen-
tial for Settlement.
JEWELL EXPLAINS ATTITUDE.
Tells Why Hc Felt Forced tn Take
Position of Defiance Toward
RO1rd
ROADS ALREADY HAVE
CLEARED CRAVE ISSUE
JEWELL EXPLAINS ATTITUDE.
Tells Why Hc Felt Forced tn Take
Position OF Defiance Toward
Board.
TBy Associated pres.1

CHICAGO. July Slope for the
speedy settlement of the country
wide strike of the railway shopmen
was seen tonight in statements Is
sued by Ben w. Hooper. chairman OF
the United States Railroad Labor
Board, and r. NJ. Jewell. leader OF
the shop crafts who ordered III.
walkout.
In reply to a letter from Mr..
Hooper. which was regarded as con.
ciliatory. Mr.. Jewell declared tha,
the strikers wero willing to consider
any negotiations with anyone in au-
thortty for settlement OF the strike"
We arc willing 10 confer with
anybody authorized by the railroads
10 bring peace proposals to u.s." said
Mr. Jewell "I include or exclude mo-
body. but II the labor board. for in
stance came TO us with a definite
proposition. We would not hesitate to
consider It."
TnbuIata Strike Vote.
The tabulation showed only e4.7
per cent OF the men had voted ~
ntrike on the question of wages. tho
heaviest vote for strike being on
tue question OF outside contract
labor which polled s7.l per oen, OF
the vote cast. The ballot on rules
came second with s6.2 for strike
Union leaders said that the vote dis
prayed the relative Importance at
tached TO the three points at issue
by their membership.
Mr.. Jewell made public tho exac.
hgures oh the strike vote taken h,.
the 100000 members OF the sir s,rn
crafts Tho vote was divided b,,o
three separate ballots, the first onc
accepting 3oo.oso.ooo reduction n
wages crcnicd by the labor hon-d,
the restoration of seven working
I"ies a:tered by the board. aai
contracting by tie roads
Way Clear on Main Issue.
In railroad o:rcies Il was declared
that the way already had neer
cieared Tor a fun settlement on the
! SraVest issue-that of contract wc,L
by 'he agreement Of twe,vn roaGs
- aholi'a, outside contrao.inr a,
the laror board meeting last Friday.
when Mr. Jewell ignored an ord,r ~
appear an" explain his strike order.
Ire first explanation OF In. I,ci
dent was made by Ir. Jewell tonIph,
When he said that to have app.sr.d
before the labor board Friday would
nave resulted In mob-,ike suspcn
si'n Of orr by the shopmen and
possibly bloodshed." He said thai
The strike order already having ror.
out and suspension OF work Sat
urday morning at 10 o'clock having
been sanctioned by locals in all parts
or the country, to have made an
eleventh-hour attempt to avert
walkout would have resulted only in
chaos. ."
Asserts BOARD Acted Too Late.
Mr.. Jewell said that the tntervrn
ton OF the board had come too iase.
ana the only way to prevent disor-
ders was for him virtually 10 detv
the board and thus let the rank ard
nile OF the six shop crafts organiza
mons involved know that their lead
ers had their hands on the brakes
uation. He said SO far he had re
ceived no overtures looking toward
settlement and had made none. He
auded that the strike vote was tho
most representative ever taken. bur
did not name total figures
Mr, Hooper, In his letter 10 Mr.
Jeweil early In tho day, denied the
'atters charge that the labor board
was unfriendly to the employees. or
That II had "outlawed" the strikers
IT mas only accepted your own
statement that the striking men are
not the employees OF the carriers"
the letter said. 1T has not, how
ever. used the rasping word OUTLAW.
at any time"
Has Upheld Collective BarRninfng.
After citing numerous instances in
which the board has upheld collec-
tive bargaining and ruled In favor
Of the unions, the letter ends:
II am yet hopeful that your or
sanizaton will recover their saui-
librium and discern that 1t is better
for them TO go along with the Rail
road Labor Board. patiently when 1t
makes mistakes. but confidently at
all times that II profoundly desire,
to do justice to ne men, the roads
and the public without fear, favor ror
affection"
Mr.. Jewell declared this statement
was in the nature OF an explanation
OF labor's side OF the situation, and
he was not receding from any OF the
original demands made upon the
roads. The statement was interpre-
ted in railway quarters, however, 81,
clearing the way TO settlement b.
negotiation. the previous understand
ing being that Mr.. Jewell would re-
fuse 20 deal with the labor hoard
CONTINUED on PAGE 4, xoL u