Evening star., 1922-08-03
PRESIDENT FACES
| CLIMAX IN STRIKE
Leadership Hinges on Out
come of Refusal of Roads
to Accede.
SOLUTION IN LABOR BOARD
Executives Can Accept Order to
Restore Seniority-Hoopers
i Statement Not Binding.
SOLUTION IN LABOR BOARD
ny DAVID LAWRENCE.


President Harding's dilemma in the
rail strike brings a climax in his IN
fuence and leadership. Not merely
those interested directly in industrial
controversies, but all who see In the
Immediate future a test of Mr.. Hard
tns's whole administration with re-
spect TO Congress. are watching the
chief executives every move.
Mr.. Harding is by nature peace
maker. patient and tolerant he Is
disappointed that the spirit OF COM
promise doesn't pervade disputants
as 1t does his whole philosophy Oh
life. Force and violence may tenn
porarily triumph. but in the end they
defeat their own objects-so reasons
Mr.. Harding.
With all that has happened since
1914 10 yindicate principles vital TO civ
ilization, there is an acknowledged Ieei-
Ing of regret that the voice OF reason
didn't stay the hand Of passion ana pre-
vent the great war. Somepouy mas "
compromise unless a war is fougnt 10
a finish, and the staggering puroens oi
the world today cause very little grau,
acation anywhere. Will the Industrial
crisis be a war to nnlsh anu ieaNo
the public vanQuished and Dotn sloes
injured? Even the victor in the world
ws-Erance-has cried out that she
suffered more than did the deteateo
Mr. Hardings appeal to the raliroao
executives was based on the luea Vi
saving the American people from iuI-
might be distasteful to both parties to
the dispute. but would prevent suffering
TO the greatest number
Further Step Necessary.
Now the President is faced with the
necessity of taking step 1ur'heF
in this same line of reasoning
Threats that he will take over the
railroads at this time are mere con-
lecture. Mr.. Harding remembers 'he
war administration of railroads anu
the nrice the country paid in taxes
thereafter.
What is the way out? The feenng
,s 1rowinr here that the solution lies
with the United states Railroad Id
bor Board itself, whose authority tne
railroads and the workmen nave a.
last pledged themselves TO uphoiu'
The seniority dispute Involves W.
inr conditions" Under the transpor-
rafion act the Labor Board can take
jurisdiction over such dispute OF l's
own motion. or it can obtain JurlsoiS-
tion after the men go oack 70 W.
and the inevitable dispute aoout
storing seniority rish,s ga arlS made SUI
Labor Board now has been maoe 81
nreme AS the agency OF the sot
ernment," both parties respect l
once more. 1t would not De surp
ing. therefore. il the next move caihe it
throuxh the board. The latter couiu
,ate Soenizance of the acceptance by
Moth sides Of point No. l. namely Will
inrness to obey all decisions OF tne
hoard with that as a base the board
can ask the men to return 10 WORN anu
the roads to take them back.
Board Could Restore Seniority.
As for the disposition eventually or
the seniority question. it is not new
nrobIem. The railroads have again
and again in the past restored senior
ity rights after they had taken on
new workers If the Labor BOARD oe-
cides that the rights should be re-
.,orad the railroads would have 10
obey. There is every reason 10 oe
ueve the roads would obey-lt Woulu
not REQUIRE a humiliating reversal OF
their own motion. s might nave peeh
the case if they accepted MT. Haro
ing's proposal outright.
The Labor Board itself has not IS
sued a decision on seniority TiShtS Dc
the railroad executives and tnelr
snokesmen would like to have the
nrbIic infer. Chairman Hooper gave
newspaper interview on the supJect'
hut in view of the peculiar compost
tion of the Labor Board, Mr. hooper
does not speak the views OF the poaro.
Certainly he did not SPEAK on tmT
seniority question for the three labor
members of the board. ana II is ann
cult to say whether he spoke tor
the other two members or the pup
lie group on the board.
The matter never came 10 a ToseM stoh
il was a personal expression when
does not bind the board. 1t may
we'll happen that Mr.. Hooper might
vote with the three railroad manage
ment's members on the board, Dut IL
the two public members voted with
the three labor members. the vote
would be five to four in favor of res
toration of seniority rights. MT.
Hooper may be committed by a public
statement but the position OF Presl-
dent Harding as expressed in his let
tar TO the railroads and the employees
would have great weight in any De
cision on seniority which might be
rendered by the whole board of nine
members.
President May Act shortly.
The question is whether the strik-
ers will go to work in the confident
expectation that the Labor Board
will see that their rights are secured.
They, too. are bound by their ac-
ceptance. however, of point one.
which puts then on record as willing
to obey the Labor Board.
Mr. Harding proceeds slowly and he
is today pondering the whole sitp-
alton and particularly this form OF
solution. Action will come before the
end of the week. Few people believe
the President will let the situation
drag on a week more without an
swering the executives and thus NOV
ing matters closer to a peaceful end
ing by affordihg both sides another
way out
Copyright, 1927