The New York herald., 1922-08-28
shop STRIKE Chief
APPEALS TO SENATE
DOwd Asks Investigation OF
Association of Rail
Executives.
CHARGES PLOT EXISTS
Says Cuyler and Loree Have
Manipulated Other
Members.
ROADS SCORN STATEMENT
Declare Shop Forces Have
Swelled Since the Col
lapse Of Peace.
SCORN STATEMENT

John j. Dowd, chairman of the local
strike committee Of railroad shopmen
telegraphed yesterday to the Inter
state Commerce Commission asking
an Investigation by the Senate Of the
Association Of Railway Executives in
its relation TO the strike. T. De Wit,
Cuyler, chairman OF the association
and l.. +. Loree, chairman OF the
Eastern presidents conference, have
manipulated and controlled the other
members contrary to the interests OF
the public and the railroads, Mr.. Dowd
charges.
Message TO Cummins.
The message was addressed to Sen
ator Albert 3. Cummins, chairman OF
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
1t is as follows:
I'VE respectfully suggest that your
committee propose to the Senate an in
vestigation Of the conduct OF the Asso-
citation Of Railway Executives in its
relation to the present shopmen's strike.
and Of its organization and activities
in general. Despite the financial plight
Of the carriers; despite the growing
menace to the travelling public ~from
utterly unsafe railway equipment; de-
spite the ruination Of crops and produce
resulting from inadequate transportation
facilities; despite the absolute necessity
to move every pound Of coal which can
possibly be mined and despite the most
desperate Of conditions threatening the
very health and safety of millions of
American citizens, this group OF indiv-
iduals has effectuaily prevented set
tlement Of the railroad strike. even when
such q settlement was urgently re-
quested by the President of the United
States and agreed upon by the unions
involved.
= 1T Is common knowledge in New
York railroad circles that the rejection
by the association OF the mediation pro-
posais advanced by the five transporta-
ton organizations did not represent the
untrammellcd and we'll considered opin-
ion OF even a majority Of tho railroad
executives who make up its member
ship. The evidence Is overwhelming
that the proceedings Of this association
have. for tho last year, been nianipu-
lated and controlled contrary to the
best interest OF the railroads and the
public, by q small minority OF it's men,
bership headed by T. Dewitt Cuyier
and l.. F. Loree. An examination OF
individual members OF this association
on the witness stand would reveal a
situation that woWld startle the country
and prove Of fnestimable bcneht both
to the American railroad industry and
to the public at large"
More Dangerous Than Unisns.
Commenting on this message Mr.
Dowd said:
There can never be peace in the
railroad industry while the Association
of Railway Executives continues to
exist. Here Is a union more dangerous
than any labor union could ever be.
This association Is q union OF hundred
or so men. clothed with prodigious
power and absolutely controlled by n
small inner circle OF half dozen men
more powerful than all the other MEM
bers put together.
The members Of this inner circle are
out to establish the open shop on
American railroads. They will sacri-
Ace shippers and the public, they will
even sacrifice the interests OF tho ma
ority Of their fellow members to gain
their nefarious ends.
Every worker on as well as off the
railroads now looks upon this associa-
ton as the greatest enemy OF organized
labor in the entire country. The public
Is coming to look upon II as the only
barrier to normal conditions on the
roads.
TT IS high time that this assoc "a ton
be exposed. II labor union, demo-
critically controlled by hundreds of thou
sands OF men. had defied the President
of the United States and the public in
terests as this executives union, auto
cratically controlled BY half a dozen
men, has done, IL would have been
brought to its senses in a week. 1t Is
four weeks now since this union defied
the nation. Since then it has closed the
door upon any possibility Of peace Is
this the one union that Is beyond all
public control?"
eve Are Running the Roads"
Mr.. Cuyler. Mr.. Loree and most OF
the other executives were out OF town
yesterday. One member Of the associa :
tion remarked:
we are not at all interested In the
views Of the unions. We are running
the railroads and will settle this strike
on It's merits"
Local officials OF the roads said that
there had been substantial gains In the
shop forces since the collapse OF peace
negotiations last week. The strikers as
well as the public. they declared. are
very well Informed" as to tho position
taken by the railroads IN the contro-
versy.
The traci<men, whose wage demands
will be heard to-day by the railroad
labor board In Washington, nre anx-
iously awaiting the result. II is virtu-
ally certain they will not get the in
crease they have asked, and in that case
many OF them are in favor Of joining the
shopmen.
Their union. the Brotherhood OF Main.
tenance of Way Employees. numbers be-
tween 100000 and 100000 men. but they
are mostly unskilled laborers. such as
track walkers, repair gangs. crossing
tenders, &C., and their places are not sc
difficult to fiii as mechanics or train
crews. Furthermore. most OF them are
laid off In October when the ground
freezes. The railroads are not greatly
disturbed by their threats TO strike.