Evening star., 1922-08-24
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance.
MARYLAND and Virginia.
All Other States
No Shop Strike Settlement.

From the statement of T. De Witt
Cuyler, chairman Of the Association
of Railway Executives. it appears that
the conference between the executives
and the heads of the railroad brother
hoods failed of effect for the ending OF
the shopmen's strike because or the
seniority question. The utmost that
was proposed by the operatives was
that all men were to be reinstated IN
The positions of the classes they orig
inally held June 80 last, and as many
OF them were to be put to WORK as
possible September l at the present
rates of pay, and all striking employees
should be put to work not later than
October l. save such as have been
proven guilty Of destruction OF railroad
property OF convicted Of crime. Any
dispute arising as to the relative
standing OF employees incapable OF set
tlement directly between roads and
workers was to be submitted to the
Labor Board. In other words, full
seniority rights were to be restored to
-
criminal practices.
This proposition the executives, by
vote of Pa to 4, rejected on the
ground that it involved an agreement
bv the carriers that the returning
strikers would be senior to those old
employees who were junior to them
June 80, and senior to all new men
employed since that date. In other
words. that the strikers would return
10 work with no loss Of status what
ever. that the men who were loyal
and remained at work would suffer in
status and that new men were to be
discarded by not later than October l.
Thus the effort to settle the strike
fails because the railroad executives
will not surrender on the seniority
question In that position they will
have the support OF ma jority of peo-
pie, who recognize that this question
is vital to/the maintenance of organ
ization in raiiroadinG as in other lines
of business.
1t is contended by the executives
that the shop forces are being recruit
ed to the point where the work OF
keeping up repairs is kept well under
way on most roads. 1t is contended,
on the other hand. by the union lead
ers that the shop work is being so
badly and insuficiently done that the
equipment Of the roads is rapidly fall
ing into dangerous condition. The
Interstate Commerce Commission re-
ports a deterioration of rolling stock
due to inadequate shop work on some
lines. Meanwhile train service is main
tanned sufficiently to care for the ordi-
nary requirements of industry. The
question in which the public is inter-
ested is whether this service is main
tanned with risk to safety and whether
cars can be provided for the trans
port Of fuel as the mines resume oper-
alton. and Of the crops. which are now
awaiting service.
Disorders continue in certain parts
Of the country, where strike conditions
are more serious than in others.
Troops have been stationed in some
places, only to lead to worse disorders
and to the threat Of a. spread Of the
strike to other unions. They have
been withdrawn in the worst section
Of trouble and conditions have i'm
proved.
The President in his address to Con-
gress last Friday said that he was re-
solved ''to use all the power Of the
government to maintain transporta-
tion and sustain the right Of men to
work" The failure Of the New York
conference between the executives and
he brotherhood chiefs may result in a
situation that will call for a redemp-
ton Of that resolution.