Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1922-08-25
(By international News service)

executives, representing 80 Ameri-
can railroads and the chiefs of the
five brotherhoods, for settlement of
the railway shipments strike, have
collapsed, it was officially announc-
ed this afternoon.
a statement telling of the break
down of the negotiations was is
sued by subcommittee of five
railway executives. 1t was signed
by President Daniel Willard, of
Baltimore and Ohio; A. H. Smith,
of the New York Central; Hale
Holden, Of the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy: NJ G. Maher, of the
Norfolk and Western, and W. ].
Harahan, Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio.
After reviewing the conferences
that had been held at the Yale
Club on Wednesday and Thursday,
the report said:
Having in mind the moral re-
quirements of the carriers for men
of the shop crafts at this season of
the year, together with the in
creased requirements resulting
from a reduced working force for
nearly two months, these compan-
les while unwilling to agree to any
program or method of adjustment
which would affect the rights or
privileges of employees Of the shop
crafts who did not take part in the
strike, or those who had been en-
ployed since July /, were willing
to pledge themselves to find en-
ployment for all the striking en-
ployes not guilty of proven acts of
violence at their former class of
work at tie rates Of pay fixed by
the United States railway labor
board and at the same terminal
points.
Rights Unmpaired
with this important phase of
the controversy disposed of there
remained only the problem of rea-
ching an understanding concerning
the future relations between the
rail employees and the executives
and the men who remained at
work.
THE roads disclaimed any de-
sire to curtail pension rights or 9TH
err privileges which the striking
employees had earned by virtue of
their term of service with COM
panies and the roads in this con-
ference and agreed to take back
all employees with such rights UNI
impaired.
THE railroad companies felt
free to take this action because
such action on their part would
not in any way acct or prejudice
the rights or privileges of others
who did not participate in the
strike.
The railway executives agreed
that if, after the men returned to
work, there remained any unset
tied disputes growing out of the
situation which the companies and
representative of the employees
We're unable to settle in direct con-
ference that matters should be re-
ferred for final determination to a
commission of ten members to be
made up of the chief executives of
the five trainmens and other bro
therhoods as mediators and the
railways experience in such mat
tiers would naturally come before a
committee of that kind.
THE railway presidents also
proposed that if an agreement
could be reached along lines sub
stantially as indicated above they
would endeavor to carry out the
agreement in the spirit of concili-
alton and sincere purpose to ecect
settlement of the strike.
Roads Made Concessions
The railway executives were
certain that while making substan-
tial concessions to the men on
strike, such settlement as propos-
ed would in no way sacrifice the
rights or privileges of the loyal
men now employed on the com
panies represented.
The committee of mediators
worked earnestly and helpfully
with the carriers in an effort to
bring about an acceptable adjust
ment. The railway executives who
took part in the conferences sin
cerely regret that the representa-
tives of the striking employees, al
though definitely assured the sub.
stance of all that they asked for
were unwilling to agree to a set
tlement except under conditions
with which the railway executives
were unwilling and unable to &C.
cept
at is difficult to imagine a fair
err basis of settlement than the
one develt Il by the conferences
and made by the carriers represen-
tatives. 1t must be assumed, there
fore. that the present controversy
cannot be settled by that method.
The railroads who participated
in the conferences and whose pro-
2osal was declined by the men
are:-Alabama and Vicksburg; Bal
,imore and Ohio; Buffalo, Roches-
.er and Pittsburgh; Chesapeake
and Ohio, Chicago and Northwest
I'm. Chicago, Burlington and Quin-
y, Chicago, indianapolis and Louis
Vile, Chicago, Milwaukee and st.
Paul; Chicago Rock Island and Pa
ciic; Chicago. ST. Paul, Minneapo-
is and Omaha; Ell Paso and South
western; Erie; Hooking Valley,
Lake h'ie and Western; Louisi-