New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-06

. > IL StiS AE{tttt0h pA MIC y ststsChe -
proposal by the executives. There IS
strong belief that il the President
had submitted the plan as it was IN
tetstood generally by the newspapers
7 would have been accepted by
the railroads.
New Men Taken On
At that time, before the actions just
described by the executives which have
been taken since the meeting last
Tuesday, acceptance of the modified
plan would not have seriously embar-
raised the railroads. It is said here
that the Pennsylvania is the only rail-
road which, on account of the large
number of new men taken on, would have
been confronted by a real problem.
The railroads were determined and
are determined to keep the new men
they have taken on. But another
motive involved in their rejection OF
the Presidents plan was that they
wanted visible evidence of reward
for the men who had remsived loyal
md who, despite their membership in
the unions, had refused to go out on
strike. These men the railroads were
determined should have their seniority
advanced ahead of the men who had
gone out.
The Misunderstanding the
President has said in private converse
tons that he thought his scheme pro-
vided for this-is abe more regrettable,
it is pointed out, as actually the num-
Der of men who had stayed on the jobs
was small as compared with the num-
Der who went out, many OF the roads
making no attempt to keep their shops
going.
The union officials said after their
visit to the White House that they
probably would remain in town for
several days.
To Sound Out Executives
Meantime the President will sound
out the railroad executives again to
determine just how far they now will
be willing to go in view of their
hedges made to new men since Tues
day.
Chairman Cuyler of the railroad
executives, or some other representa-
tive of the railroads, will be called to
the White House within the next few
days. it was learned, or will be asked
to confer directly with the union OF
ficials.
AS pointed out in The Tribune, the
President still believes that the whole
seniority question is one of no great
importance and one which certainly
ought not to be permitted to stand IN
the way of settlement of the strike.
lie believes that the Railroad Labor
Board should be allowed to adjust. A
spokesman for the railroads to-day
said the railroad executives were
placed in curious position by TINS
view of the President, in that the de-
cisions of the Railroad Labor Board OF
july completely upheld their posi-
tion-yet they did not dare risk the
hoard reversing itself, as such an order
would direct them to violate the
pledges they have given to their new
men.
Strike Talk Derided
All idea Of the Big Four Brother
hoods Joining in the shopmen's strike
was derided by their spokesman at the
White House to-day. 1t was pointed
out by H. Z. Wills, of the Engineers,
that the law already gave the engineers
and hremen final say as to whether an
engine turned over to them was safe
for operation or not. Hence the stu
alton is in their own hands, he said,
and any thought of strike on the
ground oil dangerous cNuiPiiSh' ""S
silly Such things would be attended
to by individual action.
ATTEMPTS are being made" he said,
ito force our men to operate engines
that are unfit for service. The engine
crews are being coaxed, and in some
instances threatened If the companies
attempt to discipline or rebIke our
"a men for refusing to t'.4>e out unsafe
railroad suv0.. the other men will not
stand for it. Things of that kind
spread very rapidly.
Eve have asked our men not to be
technical about their requirements
now, but they are rot expected to
operate locomotives that they know are
unsafe. They are not to commit sui
eide or be party to slaughter OF men
train as they are. If boiler explodes
men on trains on other tracks or on
station platforms might be killed. l
have no doubt that one-fourth to one
third of the locomotives are now being
operated in violation of the law
Gompers Defends Unions
Charging organized employing and
financial interests with rallying to the
support of railway arrangements in
order to make of the railway strike a
unified union smashing campaign, Sam
uel Gompers, president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, to-day made
public a copy of general call to en-
ployers throughout the country by the
National Industrial Council, with head
quarters in New York.
This telegram. according to Mr.,
Gompers's advices, has been sent to
every employers association in the
country, TO chambers of commerce, to
civic bodies and to other organizations,
in an effort to rally all anti, union en-
ploying interests to the support of the
small group of railway executives who
dominate the Association of Railway
\ Executives, and it makes clear the
s. character of the campaign being waged
y against the unions. The telegram is
as follows:
THE railway strike will be won if
organized industry acts Immediately
and effectively. Situation as much a
test of our ability as of railway execu-
tives. Immediate needs are, first.
volume expression associations, but
particularly individuals, to President
sustaining position railroads on senior
lty question and urging Administration
support; second, immediate conference
with your local railway officials for
purpose assist them to man shops !:
JnlrQ, pressure on prasidaote ~ 4 =