New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-02
Reply Closes
Door to New
Negotiations
Carriers Agree TO Abide
by Labor Board Ruling
and Abandon Lawsuits,
but With Qualifications
Want Free Hand
Tn Finish Fight
Meeting Is Unanimous i'm
Decision; Union Leaders
Accept Peace Proposal

accept Feace Proposal
Not voice was raised at the
meeting Of the Association of~Rail-
way Executives here yesterday in
favor of accepting President Hard
ing's proposals for the settlement Of
the shopmen's strike. The Admin
istration plan, which called for the
acceptance by both sides of all Labor
Board decisions and for a return TO
pre-strike status on seniority, was
said by che of the three or four
executives in closest touch with the
situation, to have come as a complete
surprise to the roads and by an
other company head to have left the
carriers no alternative but to re-
ject it.
Officers of the striking unions here
and in Chicago found the Presidents
proposal acceptable. It was an
nounced at the close of four-hour
meeting in Chicago that acceptance
of the plan to-day virtually is as
sured.
The Presidents Proposals
Three propositions were made by
President Harding:
First-That railway managers and
workmen agree to recognize the valid.
ity of all decisions of the Labor
Board and put them into effect.
Second-That the carriers withdraw
all lawsuits resulting from the strike
any that both sides consent to a re-
hearing of the disputes over which the 4
walk-out was called.
Third - That all strikers be taken
back with full seniority and other
| rights, with the understanding that
| neither side shall discriminate in its
attitude toward strikers and men who
remained on their jobs.
It was this third provision which
stirred the executives. They rejected
it outright. AS for the two others, the
second was accepted with seemingly
technical notifications, and the first
with such reservations that its quail
fed approval probably will be con-
strued as a rejection in union circles.
The vote on all the proposals was 265
TO 2. This was in effect a unanimous
vote because the opposition sought even
a stronger stand against the Harding
proposals.
The executives stipulated that the
companies were to retain the liberty to
take court action challenging the juris-
diction of the Labor Board on the is
sue upon which it is passing, and in
as much os most of the 104 instances
in which the strike leaders charge that
the carriers have fouted the author
ity of that body nave been cases of
this kind the shopmen are expected to
feel that they have gained little in OBJ
tanning tie promise of the roads to
take no other action to evade accept
! ing the boards rulings. The outstand-
ing example OF this procedure on the
part of the roads is that of the Penn
sylvania in obtaining an injunction to
restrain the board from publishing It's
censure on the roads course in tho
election of officers for its company
unions.
President Harding, paying particular
attention to establishing the unchal-
lenged authority Of the Labor Board.
devoted one sentence in his letter to
the rail heads to pointing out that his
plan would restore "the normal opera
tions in transportation for which the
country is calling" and then plunged
straight into the question of establish
ing definitely the full recognition of
the board by all parties concern ed"
Board Must Be Supreme
at is wholly unthinkable," he wrote,
"that the Railroad Labor Board can
be made useful agency of the gov
ernment in maintaining industrial
peace in the railway service unless
employers and workers are both
prompt and unquestioning in their ac-
ceptance Of it's decisions. | think it
more desirable than know how to ex-
press to have established the unchal-
lenged supremacy of the board, be-
cause we must do those things which
are necessary to bring about the recog-
milton Of suitable authority to decide
and end such disputes as menace the
continuity of transportation" With
these views the executives concurrsd
thoroughly
In the opening paragraph of his let
ter the President spoke of "the terms
of agreement, as understand them,
upon which the railway managers and
the shopmen are to agree, preliminary
to calling off the existing strike" In
the last paragraph he authorized T. De
Witt Cuyler, chairman of the associa-
tion, to present to the members the sit
Eation as he had outlined it in the
White House conferences, and to con-
vey to them his deep conviction "that
this dispute must be brought to an
early termination" He closed by say
ing that eff there Is good reason why
the managers cannot accept they will
be obligated to open direct negotia-
tions or assume full responsibility for
the situation"
Mr.. Cuyler, according to those who
attended the meeting, saw fit to say
nothing and the managers to reject the
governments plan. After the reply
had been sent the general attitude of
the executives appeared to be that they
wanted only free hand, and the heads
OF the roads which have most strongly
opposed giving in showed by their
faces that they were iubilant over the