South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-02
FIRMLY OBJECT
TO RESTORATION
OF SENIORITY
Agree Conditionally to Other
Two Proposals Made in
Presidents Offer.
MEN LIKELY TO ACCEPT
Strikers to Act Definitely To-
day-Silent on Execu-
tives Rejection.

NEW YORK. Aug. 1.-CBy A. P.)
Railway executives Of the nation to-
day firmly. but resoIute,y rejected
the program advanced by the Hard
ing administration for settlement OF
she rail- strike
Willing 20 accept cordltIonally two
suggestions put forward by the white
hOuse-that both sides abide by
wage decision by the railway labor
board and that law suits springing
out OF the strike be withdrawn-the
heads OF las roads declared en-
phaucauy that q was impossible 20
reinstate strikers with unimpaired
seniority rights. the third provision
IN the presidents plan.
After being told by Robert s.
Lovett OF the Union Pacific that
there was no moral or practical rea-
son for budging from their position.
the executives disbanded, caught the
first trains for their respective head
quarters. and indicated that they
would go ahead and would operate
their roads with the forces they had
assembled since the shopmen walked
out on July l.
Answer by Telegraph.
The decision not 20 yield on the
question OF seniority was made
known 70 the white house by tele-
graph after the rail heads had listen
ed TO a 20-minute address by Secy
Hoover. who. as direct representa-
tive OF the president. told them. in
effect. that the administration held
the seniority question capable Of So
luton.
This action was taken in the face
Of a letter from Prest Harding. adj
dressed TO 7. Dewitt Cuyler. chair
man OF the American association Of
executives. embodying the terms OF
agreement"
Pres't Harding had closed his let
ter with these two sentences:
Il need hardly add that I have
reasons TO believe these terms viii.
be accepted by the workers. II there
Is good reason why the managers
cannot accept they Will be obligated
10 open direct negotiations or assume
full responsibility for the situation
Hoover Urges Settlement
In addition, Secy. Hoover had
urged the executives at their morn
ing session. when the text OF the
Harding letter was read. that settle
ment Of the rail- strike was impera-
tive in view OF the compucating con-
ditions introduced by the coal strike
After setting forth the reasons why
they held this an insurmountabls OBJ
stacle, the railroad chiefs ended their
reply 20 Pres't Harding as follows:
1t IL submitted that the striking
former employees cannot be given
preference 10 employees at present IN
the service. without doing violence
10 every principle OF right and Jus
tice involved in this matter and
without the grossest breach OF faHh
on the part Of the railroads 20 the
men at present IN their service. Tn
der these circumstances, Il becomes
apparent that the railroads cannot
consider any settlement OF the pres
ent strike which does not provide
protection in their present employ
ment. both 10 the loyal employees
who remained in the service and 20
the new employees entering It,"
Disappioyal Unanimous
The only question which arose
during the short period during which
the presidents proposal was under
active discussion was how empha-
tically the reply rejecting his pans
be worded
In the baIoung each road was
given one vote for each 1000 miles
OF track & operated The reply.
drafted during the noon recess by
the standing committee. was adopt
cd by a vote OF 265 10 2 This how
ever. represented unanimous dlsap-
proval Of the presidents plan. tho
two dissenting votes being cast by
L. F. L0ree. chairman OF the east
ern conference. representing tho
Delaware q Hudson and the Kan
sas City Southern. with the expia-
nation THAI be wished the seniority
proposal turned down even more de-
cisively
Prest A. r. smith OF the View
York Central apparently crystaIized
the sentiment OF the ran chiefs men.
en- the midst or their DISCUSSION De-
threw upon she conference table O.
bundle Of 400 kilograms from fore