The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-17
RAIL MESSAGE
OF PRESIDENT
is POSTPONED
Harding Defers Address to
Congress in Order to Allow
Efforts Of Brotherhood
Chiefs To Take Course.
NOT TO ASK STATUTES
(By Associated Press)

address to congress in the industrial |
situation until tomorrow or a later
date. Word as to the presidents de- /
cision was received by Senator Wat |
son, Republican, Indiana, member Of |
the interstate commerce committee |
and one of the executives advisors |
on the rail situation.
Shortly before the senate convened, |
similar information, although not defi- :
mite, had been received by other SEN
ators, including Rep. Mondell, of |
Wyoming, Republican leader in the |
house who called at the White House
early in the day.
The president was represented by
those who talked to him to feel that
every effort toward settlement on the !
rail strike should be allowed to take
its natural course before he appeared
before congress to report the govern
ment's position and interest and to
outline the policy Of the administra-
ton.
Looks To Conference.
The effort toward settlement the
president was said particularly to have
in mind was the conference in New
York between representatives of the
executives and the chiefs of five
brotherhoods. Work on the message
was continued by the president during
the morning, as it was desired to have
1t in completed form so that he might
present it to congress at any time he
should consider favorable.
In the meantime mediation activ-
tiles which have been in progress here
for the past week, were practically
suspended, as most of the striking
leaders of the shop crafts and heads
of the big four non-striking unions
who have beer enacting the role Of
mediators were in New York to meet
the executives committee today.
When they left here, the brotherhood
officials who, and not the striking
crafts heads, will actually confer with
the executives, said they were not TAX
ing a prepared proposition to the
meeting and added that if they were,
they would not make it public
Fir mon Seniority.
L. E. Sheppard, chief of the conduc-
tors organization said however, that
the demand of the strikers for full
seniority status in case of the return
to work could not be modified and
the strike leaders appeared in full
accord with that view.
In preparing his message to con-
gress, President Harding is under
( stood to have decided against making
, request for legislation to deal with
the strike situation at this time, al
though it was regarded as possible he
would assure congress that if such
legislation is needed he will not hesi-
tate in asking it. 1t was said the
message would explain the entire in
dustrial situation as the president
and his advisers had found it by rea-
son of close investigation and contact
and that it further would express the
determination of the administration to
give full aid of the federal govern
ment to efforts to keep the railroads
running in event the strike settlement
parley fails.
CHICAGO, Aug. 17-An end to the
strike of the Big Four transportation
brotherhoods on western railroads, an
e improved outlook for peace in the
New York conference today, shootings,
bombing and burning were high lights
in the nations railway crisis during
the last "a hours.
Blockades and tie-ups on the Atchi'
son, Topeka and Santa Fe; the Union
Pacific; Western Pacific and South
ern Pacific cleared up when striking
train crews called off their walkout
and opened the way to immediate
restoration of traffic on lines which
were paralyzed by the strike of the
big Four" brotherhoods.
Stranded Santa Fe trains were
moved out of Albuquerque, n. NJ, and
trainmen at Prescott, AriZ., notified
Santa Fe officials that strikers would
return to work. These moves fol
lowed earlier developments towards
ending the tie-up on the Santa Fe
The Union Pacific's traffic unravelled
0Yapidly after trainmen on the Las
Vegas division called off their strike
Other western roads restored trans
portation activities to the basis which
Lad been in effect since the shopmen':
strike began July l.
Tentative Agreements
Tentative agreements looh ing toward
an end to the trainmen's strike OF
the Cumberland Valley division Of tn
Louisville and Nashville. were an
nounced at Corbin, Kentucky.
With the train service strike break
ing up in other sections of the coun
try trainmen who interrupted traffi
on the Missouri Pacific at Van Buren
Ark, refused to return to work Will
guards remained on duty in the yards
Only trains which were made Up an,
delivered to crews outside the raj
road yards were moved.
Settlement of the trouble with til
trainmen resulted in an immediat
movement eastward of freight shiE
ments and ther perishable freigh
marooned in California.
Bombs were thrown at a Santa F
train which left San Bernardino, Cali
for the first time in six days. Tn
first bomb exploded in the railroa
yards and two more were hurled a
the passenger as the engine wheel
spun over oiled rails in pulling cut c
the city.
Brakeman Killed
George Stamb2ugh, brakeman o
the Great Northern, was shot an
killed at Havre, Mont, by railroa
SGNguard.
William Craft, blacksmith's hell
er, employed by the Denver and Ri
Grande since the shopmens strik,