The Washington times., 1922-08-08
DECLARE
TO0Ml)CH
At STAKE.
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(Continced from First Page)
six federated shopcrafts to include
all the sixteen great railroad
unions. becoming truly a national
strike and q national crisis.
This was the situation confront
Ing President Harding and his Cab
met when they met again today to
discuss the turbulent INDUSTRIAL
situation,
II the leaders Of the striking
shopcrafts men had to decide today
the issue of peace or continued war,
there can be little doubt that the
decision would be for war. Whether
their frame Of mind will be changed
Friday. the date set for q general
conference Of all the principal rail.
road unions, only Friday can de-
termine, but the impression strong.
ly prevailed today that President
Harding's latest proposal 70 settle
the shopcrafts' strike by having
the railway board pass on the trou.
bleseme seniority issue Is due to
be turned down by the strike lead.
eTs.
Publicly, neither the spokesmen
for the unions nor for the executives
will make any comment on the Presi.
ent's proposal in advance of fridays
meeting. Privately, however. both
sides condemn 1t. .... ..t. .... ...
Comment Of Leader.
From one labor leader today came
this bitter comment:
Tho President is now proposing
that we gamble on something that y
week ago he admitted In his first
proposition was ours by right-0ur
seniority. The executives refuse to
grant US something that belongs to
us-therefore, we arc asked TO CON-
promise it. 6yhy are the executives
mot asked t. to ssmpromise or concede
There were few qualified spokes.
men for the railway executives In
. Washington today, but the few eau
tious comments heard were also in
opposition to the latest proposal OF
the President.
In Government circles, however, II
is believed that the executives, as a
body, will be inclined to accept the
proposition. For them to turn II down
would put them on record as twice
refusing q Presidential proffer of
peace, a course which. 1t is calculated,
would certainly bring down on them
an adverse public opinion.
The expectation prevailed today
that another meeting OF the lS
.~1tgaY- EXECUTIVES viii be necessary
~ formulate reply to the, White
The clearest indication Of the
temper Of the strike leaders, prin.
cipaily Bert M. Jewell, chairman Of
the six federated shopcrafts, was
contained In the telegram Jewell
sent to Warren 8. Stone, chief OF
the powerful Brotherhood Of Loco
motive Engineers, asking him to
come to Fridays meeting In wash
tngton.
Operators Scored.
The Association Of Railway FIX
scutives," said Jewell, "in rejecting
the Presidents terms Of agreement.
obviously acting under the direc-
ton of those who exercise the
financial control and dictate the Ia
bor policies of the railroads, repudi-
ated the promise given by their
chairman to the President and de-
fled the spokesman for the Ameri-
can people. To date only the en-
ployes have made concessions.
The Government has the au'
fhority to promptly settle the strike
hpfS the just. fair, and reasonable
i basis proposed by the President
k1uiy 81. However, 1t Is apparent
3that no constructive program Is be-
inR proposed. ."
This last evidently referred to the
latest proposal from the White
House, and indicated that the strike
leaders do not consider 1t offers a
basis of settlement.
Fridays general meeting Of the
railroad unions-if they all accept
will be one Of the greatest gath
erings OF railroad labor in recent
history. And the decisions reached
may afeect the course Of railroad
history for years to come.
Rail Suspension Looms.
The four great brotherhoods--
Engineers, Firemen, Conductors,
and Trainmen-whose policy has al
ways been one of aloofness toward
the unions that are affiliated with
the American Federation Of Labor.
are expected to be represented.
They. In large measure, can make
or break" the shopmen's strike, II
was admitted today In labor quar-.
ters.
II they decide to support the
shopmen to the point Of leaving
their cabs and trains, n railroad
tie-up Of unprecedented proportions
will be actually at hand.
nLx,- MoI,sI.ns~ -