The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-09-23
RAILROAD z
CHIEFS HELD
RESPONSIBLE

Chicago, Sept. 19.-Responsibii-
ity for. the railroad shop crafts
strike was charged to the Asso-
ciation Of Railroad Executives by
p. NJ. jewell, head Of the strikers
in answering Attorney General
Daugherty's injunction bill today.
He did not appear in person but
his attorneys read into the record
a 2S-page affidavit in which Mr..
Jewell recited what he considers
the causes of the strike, detailed
the history Of various unsuccess-
full peace conferences and declar-
ed the union leaders had never
countenanced violence.
He said that. since August 2.
when the strikers accepted Presl-
dent Harding's second peace pro-
posal the railway executives have
maintained a lockout.
ITO all .intents and purposes"
Donald r. Richberg, attorney for
the defense said, interrupting the.
reading of the affidavit, "the strike
ended August 2, when. the men told
the president they accepted his
plan of. settlement. After that It
was a lockout
Mr.. Jewell said he had been ad-
vised by counsel that the railroads
had no legal right under the rules
Of the United States Railroad Labor
Board to deny his men their former
seniority rights when they resume
work.
The defense attorneys preceded
the Jewell affidavit with the in
PRODUCTION Of SO injunctions OBJ
tained by various railroads against
strikers on their lines. They con-
tended that these local injunctions
gave sufficient guarantee against
violence and that a nationwide re-
straining order was unnecessary.
Assistant Attorney General Crime
objected that the government had
the right to ask injunctions to pre-
vent the destruction of interstate
commerce and interruption in de-
livery of the mails.
The causes leading up to 5 the
strike as the strikers see them
date back. to 1920 according to the
Jewell affidavit. At that time the
labor committee Of the Railway
Executives Association, headed by
President Gray, of the Union Pa
cific adopted, report favoring
steps to organize regional adjust
ment boards as provided by the
Transportation act. w. w. After
bury, vice president Of the Penn
sylvania, presented a minority re-
port in opposition. IS:
The majority report was rejected
by the association and Mr.. After
bury was named to succeed Mr.
Gray as chairman. OF the labor
committee. This, he said, was re-
garded by the employees as the be-
| ginning Of a campaign to destroy
the effectiveness Of the employees
Organizations and the United States
Railroad Labor Board.
On January 81. 1921, the affidavit
continues, Mr.. Atterbury made a
peremptory demand before the la
Dor board fors abresatien Of stae
national agreements made during
| the war; The agreements were
labrogated and disputed rules re-
ferred back to the principals; when
they were unable to agree the
board again heard the case and
promulgated new rules to which
the shopmen objected. -.
During the same period Mr.. Jew
ell said the practice Of letting con-
tracts for shop work to outside
contractors, and the election Of an
employees committee on the Penn
sylvania were decided by the board
in favor of the employees but he
said the employers disregarded the
decision. Mr.. Jewell denied that
refusal Of the shoomen to accept
!! wage cut prompted the walkout
July l.. He said the wage redue-
ton had not been passed on by
the board when the strike vote was
| ordered but was added to the strike
ballots, he said, after the conven-
! ton adjourned.
The unions involved, the afida-
Wit continues. had. never counte-
nanced unlawful acts, and their
strike Instructions warned members
that violence would not be sup
ported.