The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-08-09
HOUSE RECONVENES NEXT TUESDAY
FOR INDEFINITE LENGTH OF TIME

washington, Aug. q (6y Che ASSo-
ciated Press).-President Harding
has asked congressional leaders, in
view Of the menacing industrial sit
uation arising from coal and rail
strikes, to hold the house, now in re-
cess, continuously in session along
with the senate after the house re-
convenes next Tuesday.
The prospect was that failing early
settlement of the labor controversies
the administration might call for leg
islative action to enable the govern
ment to cope with conditions which
thus far have failed to react favor
ably to efforts on the part of the ex-
ecutives.
Meanwhile the leaders of all union
organizations in the transportation
field began to gather in Washington
for conference to determine the re-
sponse which shall be made to Presi-
dent Harding's latest offer of set
tlcment basis for the seven railroad
unions now on strike and to determine
as well, according to statements of
those who will participate, what
joint of cooperative action the labor
board forces shall take in case the
presidents offer is rejected
B. M. Jewell, chairman of the group
of officers of the striking unions, de-
clarsd that he had received hundreds
of kilograms today from locals of the
shop crafts telling us to reject the
presidents offer, and not a single
one asking it's acceptance"
Separate conference between the
Southern railway officials and repre-
sentatives of the striking shopmen
en- lines broke up finally today when
the men declared that only nation
al settlement of the strike could be
accepted by them even if the rail
road conceded seniority rights to re-
turning strikers. Fairfax Harrison,
president of the road, later issued n
general notice to all of it's employees
that the company considered it had
"more than fulfilled it's obligation to
it's striking employees" and that It's
duty was now to provide unimpaired
transportation service. "This we will
perform" Mr.. Harrison declared.
Suggestions were advanced that
congress might be asked to author
ice resunutiou of federal control over
the railroad systems should President
Harding find it impossible to ter
inmate the strike satisfactorily, with
the further possibility that direct leg
islation amending the transportation
act might be sought to make the
railroad labor board decisions in wage
matters binding upon managers and
employees.
There was also a proposal in some
quarters that jurisdiction might be
given the board by law over differ
ences which arise during strike as
did the present seniority issue.
Some cabinet members considered
it likely that the whole situation
might be put up to congress in a spe-
cial presidential message, should pre-
vailing difficulties continue or multi
ply, but at the White House an ad-
ministration spokesman said the
president would not anticipate hi,
course.
Mr.. jewell and w. H. Johnson,
president of the. Machinists' associa.'
ton, in public statements today de-
clared that all the railroad union
heads, called to meet Friday, would
pass upon the answer the striking
union will make to the presidents
final proposal. Giving out figures on
the condition of railroad equipment,
Mr.. Johnson asserted it ''would take
the railroads year to get their
equipment back into shape If the
strike should stop right now"
They further charged that strike
breakers were being "hired in Eu-
rope, particularly England" by some
of the roads, naming the Chesapeake
& Ohio as one such road.
ave found at Huntington, w. Va,
men who had been brought over for
the purpose" Mr.. johnson asserted,
"and we have cabled British labor or
ganizations asking them to spread
the knowledge of these American ad-
vertisements, and intend also to cite
the cases to the immigration author1-
ties as violation of the contract la