The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-08-16
RAILWAY
EXECUTIVES
DRAFT REPLY
Agree to Accept Pres
ident H a re in g S
Second Strike Pro-
posal Conditionally

posal Conditionally
New York. Aug. II tBy the As
sociated Press) The executive
heads of 14S American railways
tonight conditionally accepted
President Harding's second proposal
for settlement Of the nationwide
rail strike.
This unofficial announcement
was made shortly after z o'clock
following a prolonged conference
at the Grand Central terminal sur
rounded by the greatest secrecy.
Officially, it was merely stated
that committee representing vir-
tually all the railroads in the coun-
try would wait on President Hard
ing at the White House tomor-
row afternoon with a reply to his
program drafted by a committee
appointed by the Association Of
Railway executives and approved
by the body as whole.
The conditions which went into
the acceptance, according to un-
Official sources. We're:
First: That the presidents re-
quest that the strikers be taken
back should be interpreted that as
MANY strikers should be rehired as
should be needed by the roads to
bring their shop forces to normal.
Second: That such strikers should
be taken back Internationally and
that the railroad labor board later
should determine whether they
were to regain their seniority priv
ileges.
President Harding had suggested
that all strikers be given back their
old Jobs and that the question OF
seniority be left to the railroad Ia
Dor. board to be threshed out later.
Although a formal statement to
the press issued after the meeting
by T. Dewitt Cuyler, chairman OF
the Association of Railway Execu-
tives, set forth that "tfe action OF
the railway executives can not be
made public until it has been sub
mitted to the president" said Rob
ert S. Binkherd, assistant to Mr.
cuyIer declined to state what had
transpired at today's session. This
statement nevertheless was obtain
ed from Mr.. Binkherd.
.The reply TO President Harding
was not looked upon by the execu-
tives as compromise on the ques-
ton Of seniority. It is however. a
reply which we trust will be re-
ceived by both the president and
the country.
Legally, we believe our stand
will be beyond reproach. 1t IS
neither antagonistic to the presi-
dents proposal nor to the stand an
nounced in the executives reply of
August 1 to the first proposal sub
nitted by Mr.. Harding. in which
they expressed determination to
stand by their pledges to loyal en-
ployees and to new men who had
been hired to take the places OF
strikers
President Harding,s first proposal
was three horned.
The first two conditions-that the
wage decisions of the railroad board
must be recognized by both sides
and that lawsuits arising from the
strike must be dismissed for set
tlement by the board-were accept
ed by the executives
The third-that strikers be rein
stated with their seniority privi-
leges unimpaired-was fatty re-
| jected. on the ground that pledges
had been made to loyal employees
and forces recruited since the strike
/ A preliminary conference attend
ed by representatives Of Eastern
lines ushered in today's major as
/ semblage. Although no formal an
| nouncement was made concerning
matters discussed at the Preliminary
session it was generally understood
that the Eastern executives formu-
lated the fight to the finish policy
on seniority which they later in
| troduced at the general meeting.
After all the executives had gone
into session behind closed doors, 9
furry was caused by the sudden
appearance in" the ante-room OF
Haley Fiske. president Of the Met
ropolitan Life Insurance Company
a heavy holder of rail securities.
The report 3 rapidly spread that
he had arrived with an importan'
message from financial interests
After his presence had been an
nounced at the conference he re
mained in the ante-room. where he
was joined by Mr.. Cuyler. 1t late1
was announced that his name hac
not been mentioned in the confer
ence and from Mr.. Fiske's Office
came denial that his presence out
side the conference chamber hae
any connection with the rail strike
;o1,f Gnx,ornOr