New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-24
Hooper Announces De-
cision on Return From
Capital; Intervention by
President Now Forecast
Calls Off Proposal
To Cite Disputanis
Altered Plans Believed To
BE in Harmony With
the Executives Program
By Gilman Parker


Board has abandoned, temporarily
at least, all effort 10 settle tho
strike Of the railway shopmen. This
was made known tonight By Chair
man Ben w. Hooper, Of the board,
upon his return from Washington.
mo further action by this board 10
in contemplation at this time de-
clared Mr. Hooper in concluding
brief statement to newspaper CORE
spondents.
The presumption is that the with
drawal Of the board from attempts
to bring about peace between the
shopmen and the railway exeeu-
tives leaves the way open for per-
sonal action by President Harding.
Intervention Is foreseen
After Chairman Hooper had con-
ferred all day Saturday in Washington
with President Harding IL was stated
as among the probabilities that the
President either would order the
Labor Board to renew its efforts 70
end the strike or that the President
personally would intervene. Il is as
sumed here By observers that the elm
ination OF the board from the situation
90 far as the immediate future Is con-
cerned throws the question Of settle
ment Of the strike upon the other
President.
Upon his arrival here to-day Chair
man Hooper went into secret eonier-
ence with other members Of the board
Al first he would make no statement
but later he said;
ANY trip 90 Washington was mainly
for the purpose OF furnishing the Pres
ident the fullest information possible
In regard 20 the strike situation.
"As might be supposed, the President
seeks 10 know this situation from every
angle. from TIE viewpoint Of the carr
riers, the employees, the Labor Board
and the public.
There is nothing else that can be
said Just now other thar &, answer
the question asked by ting that no
further action by the Llbor Board IS
in contemplation az this time
Won't Cite Disputants
The question referred 10 by Chair
man Hooper was as 20 whether he in
tended 20 cite the Representatives ot
both the strikers and the railroads be-
fore the board tomorrow. In an effort
10 restore peace on tSe railroads and
TO relieve the country from the menace
Of industrial chaos now threatening u.
Chairman Hooper's statement came IS
complete surprise, as 10 had been
confidently expected that as the re-
suit Of his talk with the President the
Labor Board would jump into the strike
situation with all its powers and the
full backing Of the White House IN an
emphatic, even drastic, attempt 10 get
IL over with.
That the board will not do so, az
least Immediately, drew two leading
comments, one an Interpretation and
the other criticism.
The Interpretation, as has been
stated, was that the President and the
members Of. The Cabinet have decided
70 handle the situation direct from
Washington. The criticism was that
by the mere announcement that Il in-
tends 70 maintain a "hands OF" policy
for the present, ostensibly at least, the
board has decided ito aid the railroads
in their game Of letting the strikers
think the strike is 10 go on indefinitely
and thus attempt TO frigbten them
back to work"
Some amplifcations Of that criticism
were expected 10 be issued later In n
formal statement from b. NJ. Jewell,
president Of the railway employees de-
partment OF the American Federation
OF Labor and the chief leader OF the
strike.
However, IL was pointed out that
further secret negotiations may be
in view, with possible citations 20
follow later. One line these may
take, IL was said, wcu.d be efforts 20
obtain separate settlements for various
OF the roads, which the roads want, but
against which The strikers are firmly
opposed as a menace 10 their national
organization.
big Stick" in Abeysnee
II was assumed, in view Of recent
reports from Washington, that Chair
man Hooper would return 10 Chicago
armed, so far as the rail managements
are concerned, with the "big stick OF
governmental threat 10 take control
Of and operate the railroads under
Section 10 Of the Interstate Commerce
Act, and, as concerns the strikers, the
further threat from the Office OF A.
torney General Daugherty Of insti.ut-
ing court proceedings charging con-
spirsey 10 interfere with interstate
commerce. Apparently, however, Chair
man Hooper will not care 20 avail him.
self Of these weapons Immediately X
he has them at hand.
So far as the strikers are concerned,
only one Of their original demands, tho
elimination Of contracting out Of work
still stands.
Strike Breakers May Quit
One solution for the seniority prob
lem advanced here tonight was that
the railroads agree 90 take back tho
strikers on restored rights, at the same
time refusing " abrogate those of the
strike breakers. Experience In such
cases has been that strike breakers
have rapidly betaken themselves else
where under such circumstances, tho
question settling itself almost auto
matically.
Mr.. Jewell returned 70 Chicago lh,o
to-day from Moosehene, H.. where he
was In conference ID L night with