New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-29
Program To Be Submitted
to Executives in n. Y.
Tuesday and TO Unions
in Chicago Wednesday
Conference Fixes
Seniority Policy
Loyal Men First, Strikers
Second and New En-.
ployees Last, Is Decision
By Carter Field

w Wv, sDtAJAST
ment of the railroad strike early
next week, on the basis Of an agree
ment formulated by President Hard
ing, that is to be reduced to writing
tomorrow, is confidently expected
here tonight as the result of further
conferences at the White House to-
day.
On leaving the White House the
rail union chiefs, B. NJ. Jewell and
William H. Johnston, of the shop
men, and J. A. Franklin, of the
boiler makers, who comprise the shop
unions executive committee, said
"the President would suggest the
basis" Further than this hint that
an agreement which could be ac-
cepted had been reached they would
not go.
After the agreement is put in
written form it will be submitted to
the meeting of the railroad execu-
tives in New York on Tuesday, and
to the meeting of the union officials
in Chicago probably Wednesday.
Loyal Workers Protected
Roughly. the agreement is as out
lined by a member of the Railroad
Labor Board in Chicago last night It
provides that the men shall return to
work at the wages established by the
Railroad Labor Board, with the promise
of rehearing. On the all-important
question of seniority, the unica men
who remained at their posts desp!Rs tho
strike move up to the head of tce list,x
followed Immediately by the old emf
ployees who went out on strike. Strikes
breakers who were employed by the
railroad shops are to be kept at work,
but rank in seniority after the union
men who return.
There is still the possibility that
the railroad executives may not accept
the proposed settlement. The chief
difficulty is with the Pennsylvania Rail-
road This is because the Pennsylvania
was able not only to keep q consid-
cradle percentage of its union men who
refused to go out on strike but to en-
ploy large number of men who have
proved, it is asserted, competent. Tho
union men who remained do not COM
plicate the problem seriously, as most
of them ranked high in seniority be-
fore the others walked out. Some Of
those who stayed, of course, will have
their seniority considerably advanced
at the expense of those who struck.
Pledges of Roads Difficult
The trouble on the Pennsylvania and
one or two other roads which were
able to recruit a considerable number
of satisfactory workers is in carrying
out the pledges made to those men that
if they accepted the jobs they would
not be thrown out on the settlement Of
the strike.
1t is really problem in one way OF
how much shop work there will be dur
ing the next year or two-whether
there will be enough to take care of
both the union men returning TO work
and the strike breakers employed in
their absence. The feeling on the part
of the Administration is that if the
roads accept another part of the agree
ment-that -abolishing the giving out
of repair work to outside shops-there
will be plenty of work in the railroad
shops for both classes of men.
Another complication to the senior
ity question, it developed, is that tha
union officials object violently to per-
mitting it to be settled by the indi-
vidual roads with their own men, which
some Of the railroad companies, nota-
bly, the Pennsylvania and the Balti-
more & Ohio, are anxious to do.
Presidents Program Fixed
At the White House the statement
was made that the President rad
reached in his own mind the basis OF
compromise settlement, but that he
could not disclose il at this time. Il
was said that he believed it would
meet the situation, but that 70 an
nounce it officially would constitute s.
breach of faith. 1t was not disclosed
with whom this would be a breach OF
faith, but, in view of the conferences
of yesterday and to-day, there was not
much doubt as to this.
1t was emphasized, however, that the
President believed there was a fair
prospect of the railroad situation being
cleared up. AS this piece Of information
was conveyed to a group of newspaper
men through a channel normally using
very conservative language, more sig
nificance was attached to it thaa the
bare words used indicate.
WASHINGTON, July 2s (By The AS
sociated Press).--It is expected that
preliminary conferences will be held by
both the rail and union chiefs in the
endeavor TO formulate programs for
consideration by the general sessions
next week. The general strike commit
tees of the union ordinarily consist Of
a representative of each craft in each
railroad system where the strike is In
effect.
| 1t was understood that Secretary
Hoover might attend the railway ex-
ecutives session at New York, repre-
senting the Administration, ard there
was possibility that Secretary Davis
might attend the union gatherings.
Mr.. Davis departed tonight for Moose
heart, ILL.,, near Chicago.
/ Apparently the Presidents proposals
Twill go before the railroad employees
with the recommendation cf their in-