New-York tribune., 1922-08-16
Seniority First, Reply
Of Strikers to Harding
Reject Terms as TmprGctica-
BILE; Criticize Him for Appar-
enf Change from First PLnta

From The Tri5une's Washsnoson Bareag
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.--Making
public their reply to President Hard
ing's proposal for ending the strike.
the striking railway shopnaen revealed
to-day that their rejection was based
largely upon their stand that there can
be no resumption of work until the
rights has first been assured. A state
nent issued by Bert NJ. Jewell, presi-
Sent Of the railway shopcrafts organi-
sations, at the same time the reply was
Ssade public denounces the answer Of
the rail executives. The Jewell state
ment saids
eThe Association of Railway Execu-
tives have again decline to accept the
Presidents proposal. They have not
even agreed to permit all employees
now on sesike to return TO work.
"The railroad managements appar-
emily intend to be the court, Judge and
jury for ishe trial and conviction Of
those employees who they do not in
tend shalt return to work"
Text Sof Shopmen's Rejection
The teSs of the shipments reply to
the President follows:
1--WE are8in receipt of your telegram
of August7 referring to your message
TO us Of gnly 81 and our reply of Au-
gust 2. Il
an goa1 telegram Of August you
request That striking railroad en-
ployees return to work and leave to
the decision Of the Railroad Labor
BOARD, after they have returned to
work, the questions of seniority as COW
cred in the third paragraph Of your
telegram of July 81.
This request has been fully consid-
cred by the executive council of the
Railway Employees Department, who
represent the railway employees af-
fected, and you are hereby advised
telegram of August has been unani-
mously declined for, among others, the
following reasons:
81. On July 81 you submitted to the
representatives. of the railroad EN-
ployees in question and to the rail-
way managers the terms of agreement
upon which the railway managers and
United Shopcraft Workers are to unite
preliminary to calling off the exist
ing strike.
=, Former Terms Recalled
Your terms of agreement above re-
ferred to were accepted by the rep
resentatives Of the employees. On the
seniority question your terms Of agree
ment We're: All employees now on
strike to be returned to work to their
former positions with seniority and
other rights unimpaired. The repre-
sentatives of the carriers and the rep
resentatives of the organizations espe-
~ cially agree that there will be no dis
| elimination by either party against the
employees who did or did not strike.
- This clearly provides that the senior
ity question was to be settled before
the employees returned to work. Your
proposal of August Z is that it be
agreed to, or rather disposed of, only
after they have returned to work.
"This strike cannot be. and no other
railroad strike has been, settled until
it was agreed that all employees on
strike are to be returned to work and
to their former positions with senior
ity and other rights unimpaired. +.
% Seniority was not and is not
now, by right, an issue or a dispute in
this strike. The authors of the trans
portation act have on many occasions
stated that there is no penalty in the
transportation act against employees
who strike when an injustice is done
through decision of the Railroad
Labor Board Admittedly they have
the right to strike and, therefore, they
do not forfeit their standing as rail-
road employees because they strike.
Any other construction of the law
would read into the transportation act
penalty which is not contained there
in.
Abide by Early Acceptance
"3. On August we acquiesced in the
terms of agreement which you de-
clared to be just. fair and reasonable
and we are willing now, in the interest
of all concerned, to settle the strike in
agreement. We are, of course, unable
to understand why, after we had ac-
cepted your own terms of agreement
you should now request us to accept a
proposal which is directly in conflict
with your former proposed agreement.
q. Your latest proposal is impracti-
cable and would create a chaotic con-
dition because of the undetermined
seniority status of the employees.
Railroad employees are ever mind
full of the public interest. They have
accepted your own terms of agreement,
which called for no sacrifice on the
part of the railroad executives, but
which did require that the employees
make concession of practically ever :
issue which brought about the strike
We have repeatedly called attention to
the fact that the campaign against
the organized railroad employees was
part Of the general open shop
drive and if press statements are
/, correct the managers of some of the
railroads tbs last few days have
frankly admitted that they do not de-
sire at this time to settle the strike,
but hope to be permitted to continue
l.. 49, - s
zations of railroad employees
The reply was signed by William III
Johnston. James P. Noonan, y, A. Frank
In. Martin e. Ryan, James w. Kline,
Timothy Healys j. j. Haynes and B. M.
Jewell.