The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-29
ROAD EXECUTIVES HOLD CONFERENCE
 IN CHICAGO TODAY.
JeweIps UItimatum Leaves Little LeeWay For Prevent ing Threatened WaIkout,
 Carrier Officials Feel
By Associated Press

.
 Chicago, June 2S.-Two possible means of warding off the threatened rail strike of 100000 shopmen sug- gested themselves to railroad circles tonight, following what B. M. Jewell, head of the shop unions, termed the Hast word" to the railroads in the union ultimatum sent to the associa- tion of railway executives last night.
 The executives. by coincidence, were scheduled to meet in Chicago tomorrow afternoon and local rail- road executives today said the shop mems proposal of a truce pending further negotiations on wages and working conditions would ;ndoubt- edly receive attention.
 President Jewelt's telegram last night to T. Dewitt Cuyler, chairman of the executives, left little leeway for avoiding the strike, 1t was felt by railroad officials today.
 Demands Unreasonable
 They characterized the union de- mands that $60000. .O00 wage cit or- dered by the railroad labor board
 
 by the board be restored and that farming out of railroad work be dis continued as Impossible" and "un- reasonable"
 The certain rejection of the union proposal therefore left, in the opin- ion of railroad men, but two pos sible loppholes to avoid issuance Of the strike call.
 One was that conference between the union leaders and the executives ight be called tomorrow and II uo agreement was reached, a technical dispute might be announced, over which the railroad labor board. aet- ing under authority of the transpor- tation act, could take Jurisdiction, al 1t did in the big four brotherhonds' strike last year and act to prevent a walkout
 Order Men Hack to Work
 The other was that if the strike Is called, the board could also take Jurisdiction under the act. on the ground that the strike would inter- rupt commerce and order the status quo malntained---in other words, or der the men back to work.
 Ben ". Hooper, chairman of the beard, refused to comment on sIheSs two possibilities tonight. The action of the board in the threatened strike last October was interpreted as rep rcsenting the boards position on the first possibility, and since the board has never had occasion to act n any strike of consequence, the chairman declined to state what the federal bodys interpretation of the trans portatlon act on that point would be.
 MT. Jewell, while refusing also to discuss the possibilities of a con ference tomorrow with the railway executives said "a statement would be given out tomorrow afternoou, about the hour the executives go into session.
 Only 10 Roads Involved
 Among phases of the strike situa- ton, which received considerable att tention tonight, was the fact that but l9 roads are involved in the practice of contracting work to out side firms, one of the points on which the shopmen cast their strike vote Among the POI railroads them- selves, there was said to be a de- clded split on the question of con- tracting and there was said to be some doubt as to whether the ma jority of the roads. which have re- trained from contracting, would sup port the minority. which has hell contracting to be thAr legal right.
 Chairman Cuyler and the heads Of the larger roads of the country were to arrive in Chicago tomorrow morn ing. The meeting was announced as a conference on contracts with tho American Railway Express company. Numerous other subjects, however. would be discussed, it was said. Robert S. Binkerd, assistant to Chair man Cuyler. said tonight that he be- lieved MT. Cuyler mad not yet seen the telegram as he was not in New York yesterday when the telegram was sent. Both MT. Blnkerd and MT. Jewell gave little indication. how ever, that either side would suggest conference of the conflicting sides. Mir. Jewell, declaring that his teie- gram was his last word" to the roads, and Mir. Binkerd explaining that the roads had no reason for seeking any conference with ths union men.