Evening Star Newspaper, August 14, 1922, Page 1

WEATHER. Cloudy tonight and probably to- morrow; no change in temperature. Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 3 p.m. today: High noon today; lowest, 70, at 4 a. Full report on Page 7. L Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 21 Entered as second-class matter post office Washington, D. C. No. 28,59. HARD COAL OPERATORS PROPOSE MINER AT FORMER SCALE PENDING COMMISSION INQUIRY LEWIS ACCEPTS PLAN FOR MEETING WITH OWNERS WEDNESDAY Anthracite Offer Follows Confer- ence of Senator, Governor and Strike Rivals. WARNING AGAINST DISASTER READ FROM PRESIDENT; Broad Promise of Old Wage, Reopening! Jobs to Men, Augurs Well, Miners’ Leader Says. By the Associated Press. PHILADELPHIA, August 14—Samuel D. Warriner, president of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company and spokesman for the anthracite coal operators, announced today that he had noti- fied John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers, that, the mine owners were willing to resume operations in the hard- | coal fields at the old wage scale pending the appointment of a| commission to investigate the situation. Mr. Warriner said he telegraphed Mr. Lewis last night, suggesting that a conference of anthracite operators and representatives of the miners be held in this city Wednesday. Mr. Warriner’s action followed a conference yesterday with United States Senator George Wharton Pepper, Gov. Sproul, W. J- Richards, president of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and | Tron Company, and William A. Glasgow, jr., counsel for the United | Mine Workers. : Warning of Disaster. At this meeting, it became known today, Senator Pepper read a letter from President Harding in which the President declared that further delay in the resumption of mining would meah “danger of nothing short of nation-wide disaster.” The President sald that no time was to be lost in getting the men back in the mines and that if mining was resumed at once, “the future Consequences of past delays must necessarily be serious. But, if there is any further delay we shall be in danger of nothing short of nation- wide disaster.” President Harding suzgested that the operators take the men back at the wage scale in_effect on March 31. 1922, when the suspension began, “until @ commission or other agency has had an opportunity to examine into the whole situation.” “Actuated by President.” Mr. Warriner, in his telegram to Mr. Lewis, said that the operators Thad been moved to extend the invi- tation for a conference, “not merely by our own desires, but because the President of the United States has LEWIS SEES STRIKE END IN PROPOSAL OF MINE OWNERS By the Associated Press. CLEVELAND, August 14.—An offer to end the anthracite strike by agree- ing to the wage scale in force when the Istfike was called was.received today by President John L. Lewis of the miners. It came from S. D. Warriner, heading the anthracite operators’ ecale committee. Accepting Mr." Warriner's invitation to meet the operators in conference at Philadelphia on Wednesday, Mr. Lewis’ telegram said: “The broad premise upon which you have based your invitation is com- mendable and augurs well for the suc- ! cess of the conference. I can assure} |you the representatives of the United Mine Workers will approach the con- ference in the same broad spirit with the keen determination to effectuate an adjustment mutually satisfactory to the public, the operators and the miners. 42,782 TONS GOAL WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 1922—TWENTY-SIX PAGES. WEEKLY . NED Federal Distributor Told Pri- vaie Users Take 36,000 of Total. Washington will need approximate- 1¥ 42,782 .tons; of -coal-a week during the winter, Walter C. Allen, secre- tary to the Public Utilities Commis- sion, informed Federal Fuel Distrib- utor Herbert B. Spencer in a letter| today. i Of that amount 36,000 tons repre- sents the weekly requirement of pri- vate users and the balance is the| amount needed to keep the electric lights, gas, street car and telephone ! companies running. According to the letter, the 36,000 tons for private use is divided as fol- | lows: Anthracite, 21,000 tons a week, | and bituminous, 15,000 tons. i Here are the weekly requirements of the utilities: Potomac Electric Power Company, 4,200 tons of bitu- minous; Washington Gas Light Com- ' pany, anthracite, 1,000 tons: bitumi- | nous, 330 tons, and coke, 600 tons. Capital Traction Company, 600 tons | of bituminous. 1 Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone | {son could have made a deeper im- i pression i Lord Northeliffe. AFTER THE VACATION. Northcliffe,. London Publicist Dies; End Perfectly Peaceful ~ IPREMIERS ABANDON WAR: REPARATIONS TALK IN DEADLOCK Plenary Session Called After Vain Effort to Reach an Understanding. GERMAN PAYMENT DUE TOMORROW POSTPONED Failure of Conference to Agree on Collection Gives Berlin a Respite. By the Associated Press. LONDON, August 15.—Although this morning’s session of the allied pre- miers was adjourned without their having reached an agreement on the German reparations question or hav- ing arranged for another meeting, it was announced shortly before 4 o'clock this afternoon that a plenary session would be held at 5 o'clock. Soon after the afternoon session convened it was apparent that the question ¥ reparations would not be discussed further at this meeting. The French delegates expect to leave for Paris tomorrow in their special cars.} which they have ordered attached to! the train leaving at 11 o'clock in the {morning. They emphasized this aft- {ernoon that there had been no rupture iin the Anglo-French entente. Premier Poincare of France and Mr. Lloyd George, the British prime Anti-Lloyd George| Policy of Papers May Be Changed. Aided Premier Dur- ing War, But Op- posed Secrecy. Dy the Adsociated Press. LONDON. August 14—Viscount orthcliffe, noted publicist, died this morning. News of Lord Northcliffe's death was given out by the doctors who have been attending him in this bulletin: “Vistount Northcliffe died at 10:12 o'clock. The end was perfectly peaceful.” The death of no other unofficial per- in England than that of The news was not a surprise, as the bulletins issued by the doctors for the last week plainly :nd[caled that their patient was dy- ng. Lord Northcliffe was by far the | minister, were as far apart as ever in | their views of the situation when the | {heads of the various delegations met | {today. They separated after a discu | sion of two and one-half hours wit! out finding common ground. _ French officials at that time said they thought an agreement was im- | possible and that the conference | | would dissolve without having reach- ied an understanding. The French and British premiers each appeared ireluctant to break up the conference, but neither was inclined to vield. i At the conclusion of the conference ‘all the delegates went to the Italian embassy for luncheon. When asked whether the conferénce had broken up Sir Edward Grigg. Mr. Lloyd . George's private secretary, replied: “I am not sure.” GERMANS GET RESPITE. August Reparations Payment Held | Up Pending Debt Parley. Iiy the Associated Fress. 3 PARIS, August 14—The repara- tions commission this morning de- cided to postpone the August 15 pa. ment of 50,000,000 gold marks by Ge! many until a decision has been| reached by the allied premiers, who are now meeting in London. | This action was taken by the com- mission in view of the fact that Ger- many was promised a decision re- jgarding a moratorium today, which was apparently impossible unless it should be reached by the allied premiers at a late hour. The decision to leave in suspense | LORD NORTHCLIFFE. | |No Fast Freight Transporta- aommunicated an expression both of his_wish that we should do so and| of his hope that you will accept.” @\“he telegram said: %'On behalf of the anthracite oper- .ators, I extend to you a cordial inv 1ation to meet us in conference with a view to an early resumption of production in the anthracite fleld. 1 suggest Philadelphia as a suitable piace for conference, and August 16 as a convenlent time. “Our conception of the conference is that we should meet for the I am sure that such a settlement will be a tremendous aid to our nation and its citizens in relieving public embarrass- ment and in restoring mutual confl- dence and respect.” —_— necessarily be serious, but if there is any further delay we shall be in danger of nothing short of nation- wide disaster. “As to peace, I suppose that there Company: Anthracite, elght tons, and | mO3t noted figure in British journal- bituminous, forty-four tons. ism, and the first question on every The Washington Railway and Elec- | 9n€'s lips was as to what effect his tric Company derives its current from | d¢ath will have on the policies of the the Potomac Electric Power Com- Times and his other newspapers, e { which, since the end of the war. have Mr. Allen told Mr. Spencer that the i Strongly opposed the Lloyd George estimate of 36,000 tans for private!administration and its principles, use was obtained from the wholesale, With the notable exception of its coal dealers, who supply the retail-; dealings with Ireland, which North- ers. This estimate, he said, undoubt- | cliffe _press supported throughout. edly represents maximum winter| It Wwas stated that the cause of needs, but added that further inves-|Lord Northcliffe’s death was suppu- tigations may show that the demand| ration, or the production of pus, can be lessened. within the heart, which was followed ical terms used in giving the cause of Lord Northcliffe's death were ul- cerative endocarditls, streptococal septicemia and terminal syncope. This, in popular parlance, means an inflammation of _the infection of the blood, and sudden failure of the heart due to faintings. EDITOR AT AGE OF 17. Viscount Northcliffe, the son of an Irish barrister, became an editor at _lining mem- | brane of the heart, with consequent | the August payment was unanimous- Iy taken after the members of the commission had been instructed by their respective governments. The impression in commission cir- cles was that the premiers would grant a short moratorium, even though they did not reach a complete understanding, and this respite could | continue “untll another meeting had arrived at a comprehensive settle- ment. PRESS FLAYS BRITISH. |»c Aibgue e, 2 may be advantages in meeting some- where in_the anthracite region ratMer than in Washington. “The mayors of several of the im- | portant cities In that reglon have as- | sured me of an intense public senti- ment among their people in favor of prompt settlement. It may be that in such an atmosphere the prospect of “Quickly reaching a fair adjustment would be bright. This, of course, is a point to be determined by those who issue the invitation.” Mr. Warriner said he and his asso- ciates were of an “open mind” in re- gard to the appointment of a com- mission or agency to investigate the situation in the hard coal flelds, but that it should be one that could defi- nitely settle and solve the difficulties. “CLIMAX WAS EXPECTED.” Officials, when informed that a meeting between the anthracite oper- ators and miners’ representatives had been called, expressed little surprise at the new development in the coal strike, and pointed out that a White House spokesman last Friday had made the public statement that the situation in the anthracite fields would “come to a climax in less than friendly discussion of the whole sit- uation, including such specific pro- posals as either of us may desire to submit. - We are glad, however, to express in advance our confident’ ex- pectation that we can devise in con- jerence a method of wage adjust- ent, such that upon our agreeing 10 it we shall be able then to take the men back at the old wage scale until such adjustment actually takes place. / “Let me assure you that our invi- tation is sent without any underlying reservations or conditions, and in full assurance that when we meet we can work out a result at once protective of the public interest and satisfactory to the mine workers. We bespeak your acceptance in the same spirit.” Plea of President. President Harding's letter to Sena- tor Pepper follows: “I am told that Mr. Lewis has in- dicated willingness to confer at once with the anthracite operators in case they invite him to do so. I suggest 10 you. as the senator from the state most. directly concerned, that the, « operators will be acting in the public iz’ ('8, "FRIS (0,2 <) interést if they promptly send him a| Senator Pepper of Pennsylvania, cordial invitation to attend a con-}Who presented a letter from President ference to be called by them at such | Harding to the meeting yesterday at lime and place as they may choose,| Which the anthracite conference was with & view to the Immediate resump. | Arranged, called at the White House tion of production in the anthracite,Saturday before leaving for Philadel- flelds. I feel fled in making this!Phia. President Harding was engaged suggestion because these operators|in conference with the railroad ex- have manifested throughout a spirit of | €cutives at the time, but the senator co-operation with the administration had a short talk with Secretary in seeking a fair basis upon which to Floouer; adjust the anthracite strike. = “I understand that as a basis of HOPE VOICED BY DAVIS. conference Mr. Lewis stipulates for a return of t! men at the old wage scale and the acceptance by the op- erators of the so-called Shamokin proposals. In extending their invita- tion I hope the opgfators will indi- cate a willingness ‘to take the men back at the old scale until a commis- sion or other agency has had an op- portunity to éxamine into the whole situation. ~As to the Shamokin pro- posals, I am hopeful that Mr. Lewis ‘will regard them as proper for con- sideration of the conference rather than subjects of commitment In ad- Hope that the government may re- ceive a definite indication of at least partial pedce in. the central com- petitive coal fleld was expressed to- day by Secretary of Labor Davis, who {:turned to Washington this morn- g. Mr. Davis also said that he had been informed a conference will be held either Wednesday or Thursday in Philadelphia, between anthracite operators, Pennsylvania state officials and officers of the United Mine Work- ers of America. It is expected that vance. Iam hopeful of this because 1 credit both operators and miners with a sincere desire to resume anthracite production, and I am sure that neither will place any unnecessary ol cle in the way of their adjustment. “As to the time, I hope that the conference will take place in the im- ‘mediate future. ° “No time is to be lost. Even if pro- duction is resumed at once, the future consequences of past delays must wage negotiations in the anthraci fleld will be reopened at the cnmh:: w;l{:?ence.h legraph messages from Philadel- phia predicting that some soft coal mines would reopen Wednesday were looked upon by the government today &8 forecasting gradual resumption of in ns of the cen- operation the sectio; tral competitive fleld that have en- tered negotiations with the miners' Tepresentatives. Supplied Through Dealers. The letter stated that there are practically no industries in the Di trict that get large shipments of -coal direct from the mines. As soon as the information is ob- tained from the federal authorities' as to what percentage of this weekly | requirement the city may expect to! receive the Commissioners will be in| a position to determine to what ex-} tent, if at all, curtailment should be made in the use of fuel. ‘The commission has already given, much thought to the question of cur-' tailing supplies for non-essentiali uses, but cannot approach the prob- lem intelligently until it is known; what amount of fuel is to be expected weekly. | Engineer Commissioner Keller, chair- man of the commission, stated today that the commission will gladly inves- tigate the complaint of any consumer who feels that he has been charged an exorbitant price for fuel. While no announcement has been made as to the margin of mrofit coal dealers will be expected td work on, the commis- sion has provided a means of check- ing up on ccal prices by having all dealers submit daily report to the Commissioners. Col. Keller indicated that the coal merchants have shown a spirit of co-operation and willing- ness in working with ‘the commission to obtain and diatribute fairly the supply of coal needed for the winter. Supply Figures Changing. Mr. Allen’s letter to the federal fuel distributor shows . that the amount of coal on hand, exclusive of that in the production of public utilities, is 3,618 tons of anthracite and 4,580 tons of bituminous. These | figures, however, are changing from dlly to day as the fuel shipments ar- rive. The Public Utilities Commission also has asked the federal fuel dis- tributor for advice as to what to do in the case of families living just across the District line in Chevy Chase and Takoma Park, Md, who in normal times obtained their fuel from Washington dealers. com- mission wants information as to whether the bins of these families should be filled from Washington coal dealers or whether they should be handled through the Maryland distribution system. 2 Another problem which has arisen is that of who will control coal dumps for Washington companies n:’n‘ are located outside of the Dis- trict. BLUE LID ON “HOT D0G.” FORSYTH, Ga., A 14.— Blue laws were enfo not even a “hot lowed to open. reed re yesterday, dog” ltlnd,l‘llll’ 3— MARYLANDER KILLS by acute blood poisoning. The med- THO, SHOOTSSELF Mystery Surrounds Crime Committed at Fritztown, a Hamlet Near Frederick. Special Dispateh to The Star. FREDERICK, Md., August 14— Official Frederick county s mystified over one of the most unusual crimes in years, which occurred on Satur- day night when Andrew Fritz, twen- ty-five years old, an ex-service man, shot and killed Samuel Bradford and Oliver Shepherd, thirty-five years old, an ex-servicq man, and then committed suicide by shooting him- self. The scene of the triple tragedy was at__Fritztown, a hamlet eighteen miles northeast of Frederick. There is an entire absence of motive. The three men were long friends and as- soclates, and were regarded as good citizens. Versions Are Different. Bradford was shot down on the county road a short distance from Fritztown. The witness to the shoot- ing was John Fritz, twenty-one years, a brother of the murderer and the suicide. The younger man be- came terrorized and left the scene with the report of the revolver, a .38-caliber. e Versions differ to the shootin, of Bradford. The two Fritz men, Bradford, Lee Boone and another man were automobiling when An- drew_ Frits demanded that he be al- lowed to leave the machine. It is said that Bradford followed and was shot down, without argument. Another version, which officers be- lieve the most likely, is that the two Fritz men were walking along the road and met Bradford. Fritz fired on sight. The death of Bradford was reported to Mount Airy authorities by Lee Boone, who discovered the ‘After shooting down Bradford An- 10 on lumn ‘.) (Continued on Page 7, Column PASSENGERS FIGHT DEATH IN DESERT Stories' of Heroism Told When Marooned Train Is Rescued. French Newspapers Demand Rejec- tion of Reparations Plan. By the Associated Press. PARIS, August 14.—Angry demands for the rejection of the British repa- rations program characterized all the comment in today's newspapers, ex- cept that in the Temps and the Jour- nal des Debats. These two newspa- pers avoid strong adjectives., but they reach the same conclusion— that France cannot let Great Britain have her way. The Temps sums up the general feeling of the editorial writers when it says that Great Britain “shows to Germany a lenien she did not ex- tend to her allies.” The Temps pro- tests against the British plan pri- marily because, it says, paragraph 10 would give the reparations commis- sion, on which France is outvoted. absolute control over the number of French troops along the Rhine and the duration of their stay. The Temps remarks that France was refused the protective guaran-, tees she needed. and now is refused | mortgages to guarantee her repara- tions claims, and she cannot now have taken from her the only means she has left for her security and to enforce her claims and bring Ger- many to reason.” It is recalled by the Temps that Great Britain refused to cancel France's .debts to her, and it de- clares that France llkewl:leluhould aged minety-one yoars; refuse: to grant Germany a delay un- Who, was Gvercome oy lfi: ?::Efle.'{nu Great Britain displays toward Needles Saturday. | | France the same generosity she dis- plays toward Germany. Machinist's Mate Hero. The newspapers generally give William Hendrick, machinist mate, | scant notice to the two German United States Navy, en route to San notes of protest, l(mpl%/‘ publishing \ emark that Germ: Diego, worked continuously over the e aoe 285 T sick man as the train sped on to San would not have adopted such a tone under other circumstances, implying Bernardino. > “Grandma” Malissa Wooden, aged that British encouragement is re- sponsible for Germany's various ob- ninety-four years and traveling alone from the east to her home in Berke- Jections. ley, .Calif., was smiling when the iR T | JAPAN CUTTING ARMY. she could hardly talk. ———— A pitiful story of how a mother|geveral Generals and Other High Officers Being Retired. | By the Associated Press. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., August 14—A Santa Fe relief train, casr ing approximately 126 passengers, many of whom still were suffering the effects of the terrific heat of the desert, arrived here from Needles last night after four days' delay when train service men refused to proceed. Santa Fe officials manned the relief train. A physician and 2 nurse boarded the train here to treat J. M.’ Norris, and father fought death for their eighteen-month-old baby was told by Mr. and Mrs. Willlam Hebree of Den- ver, Col., traveling to San Diego. ‘Mrs. Hebree slept but a few hours in three days, working nearly all the time with her, husband over the child, Robert, overcome by the heat. Without Freih Milk. “For three days we were unable to procure any fresh milk for the baby,” Mrs. Hebree said. “A women’s or- ganisation finally secured the milk. (Continued on Page 3, Column §.) By the Associated Press. : . TOKIO, August. 14.—The reduction of the Japanese army in accordance with the reorganization plans pro- posed by the war office and approved by the cabinet recently was begun today when 4,000 artillerymen were disbanded. ‘The retirement of several {'mrnl and other officers holdin; igh commissions will be announ: shortly, it was learned. Member of The Associated Daper and also the use for republication of all eredited to it or not otherwise All rights of publication of special dispatches herel the Assogated Press Press s exelifively entitied news disputelon credited in this the lpeal news published berels, ® are aiso reserved. Saturday’s Parley Breakup Laid to Balfour - War Debts Note BY EDWARD PRICE BELL. By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News. Copsright. 1922, LONDON, England, August 14.—It is believed here that Lord Arthur Balfour’s note on international war debts killed the London conference of premiers, has discredited the Brit- ish government and made certain the recall of Sir Auckland Geddes from his post as ambassador to Wash- ington. It is reported that Lord Balfour, Winston Churchill and Sir Alfred Mond favored the note, and that Sir Robert S. Horne and Austen Cham- berlain opposed it. WEST PARALYZED BY TRAIN Tic-UP Sunday's Net Circulation, 85,268 RETURN Net Circulation, 73,730 TWO CENTS. AWAIT UNION MOVE AS NEXT STEP 10 END RAIL STRIKE Labor Heads Hold Another Conference Without An- nouncing Intentions. EXPECTED TO BREAK LONG SILENCE ON CRISIS SOON Leaders Call at Department of Labor to Get “Information.” Situation Little Changed. 3 tion to East—Only One Passenger Route. 19 TRAINS MAROONED Crews Abandon Posts and Leave 1,700 Passengers in Coaches. Heavy Losses Reported. By the Associated Press. CLEVELAND, Ohilo, August 14— W. G. Lee, president of the Broth- erhood of Railrond Traimmen, to- day instructed two vice presiden of hix orgamization to go imme- diately upon the Santa Fe coast linex where illegal strikes of trainmen nare reported in effect and trains marooned. SAN FRANCISCO, Callf., August 14. —Northern and Central California today were without fast freight transportation east, and seemed in a fair way to lose the ome remaining route for passenger traffic as & r sult of the spread of the. transportation brotherhoods’ walkouts to Roseville and Sacramento Calif. The principal line north also was lost to fast freight traffic. A number of Southern Pacific line's switchyard employes at Roseville quit work late yesterday and at mid- | ight the railroad officials decrared an embargo on all perishable freight, including live stock, for points “north of Gerber and east to Rose- ville” It was explained that this meant freight traffic was impossible at present over the company’s Ogden | route east and its Shasta route to| Portland, Oregon and north, and! created an admittedly serious situa- ition for fruit growers of northern California. Passenger Trains Abandoned. Crews of two passenger trains abandoned them at Sacramento and the trains still were there early to- day. Should other crews follow their example the only route remaining over which passenger traffic could flow east and west would be the Southern Pacific’'s sunset line from Los Angeles. The Santa Fe system virtually was paralyzed by walkouts of brotherhood men at Needles, Calif.: Seligman, Ashfork, Williams and Winslow, Ariz.. and there was cne in prospect Mex. The Union Pacific’s line from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles was blocked solidly by refusal of brotherhood men at several points, chiefly Las Vegas, Nev. to move trains. This road planned to detour two of its trains over Southern Pacific trackage, but what effect the strike at Rose- ville would have on this had not been made clear early today. Western Pacific Blocked. The Western Pacific, operating be- tween San Francisco and Salt Lake By the Associated Press. L. E. Sheppard, head of the . Order of Raliroad Co: ictors, and W. N. Doak, vice president of the Brotherhood of Trainmen, after a two-hour conference today with Secretary of Labor Davis, an mounced that arrangements had been made for another conferemce Iate In the day between leaders the -striking rail President Harding. Immediately upon adjournment of the morning session of the confer- ence Mr. Sheppard and Mr. Doak went to the Department of Labor for the purpose, as they said, of getting “in- formation.” J Reply Held Final. leaders appeared to be fons The union disposed to consider mediation at- tempts toward ssttlement of the strike to' be still in progress, al- though the railroad executives no longer are participating and have given to President Harding a re- sponse to his last settlement pro- posal which they hold fs final ‘Whether any officials of the govern- ment were associated with the medi- ation efforts which the officials of the four train service brotherhoods declare they are making in the in- terest of the shop workers was not made known. Alfred P. Thom, counsel for lh:iA& ecoclation of Railway ives, mnlf..n“v with- President Harding during the morning, but on leaving the White House said that there was no new developments so far as the executives were concerned. Union Move Awaited. The executives having admitted their conditional acceptance to President Harding and departed and with the government outwardly marking time without having indi- cated whether it would attempt further compromise, developments to- day in the rail strike settlement par- ley lay in the hands of the umion organizations who still had before them the proposal of the President that the Railroad Labor Board be per- mitted to settle the question of sen- jority, the s principal remaining bone of contention in the dispute. In many- quarters it was believed the real key to the situation was held by the four railway brotherhoods and that the attitude of their officialsyand the extent of their support would determine in a large measure the action of the striking crafts. Though it had been said the striking shop- men's chiefs had prepared a state iment rejecting the President’s pro- | posal, the fact that this statement had {been withheld from publication up to the time the conferences of union |leaders reassembled this morning s taken as an indication there still was a possibility they might recon- sider. Deciaion in Several Days. There also was seen a possibility that no decision would be forthcom- ing for a day or %o, and in this con- I nection some significance was attach- ed to the statement of L. E. Sheppard. president of the Order of Railway Conductors, last night that the four { brotherhcod chairmen would continue to act as a committee of mediation !“until Congress gets back into ses- I'sion.” The executives’ answer to President | Harding was submitted by T. De Witt Cuyler, chairman of the Association. of Railway Lxecutives, who, with others of the committee representing ‘Column 4.) President Will (Continued on Page 2, Column 3. Not Recede From Firm Rail Strike Stand BY DAVID LAWRENCE. President Harding considers the re- ply of the railroad executives to his latest peace proposal to be eminently satisfactory. He will not budge an inch from this position and no matter what happens in the crisis now de- veloping the President will insist upon his proposal being accepted by the shopmen. It is the final compromise, namely, that the railways take back the strikers and‘gave them their for- mer positions where vacancies exist or other jobs at the same pay they formerly received, if their old posi- tions have been filled. Mr. Harding feels that the situation has reached a grave point. The union leaders have told him they would bring. the executives to their knees within a week. This means a spread of the transportation tie-up and more suffering to the public. Wil the President permit it? The chief diffi ulty in answering that question is ‘e the fact that both railway executives and union leaders do mnot think Mr. Harding has the power to compel them to end the controversy. They know, as does Mr. Harding, that a request of Congress for specific power would mean endless delay, as elections are approaching and members are unwill- ing to get into the labor controversy. Coercion Demanded. But in the absence of a real show of authority the strike will continue indefinitely. That's why the next move in the situation inevitably in- volves coercion. The telegram sent by the Attorney General to Needles, Calif., the text of which was pub- lished Sunday morning. is significant. Mr. Dougherty pointed out to th United States district attorneys th: they could prosecute any persons guilty of a conspiracy to interrupt. interstate commerce. The foundation for his telegram is the famous ac of 1890, known as the Sherman anti trust law. - It is a _broad statute and makes it a crime for any one to conspire with any one clse to interrupt interstate commerce. It has been used chiefly to prevent monopolies in production which are in restraint of trade, yet it embraces any act which tends to restrain commerce. Labor unions have always felt sensitive about this law. They tried under the Taft ad- ministration and succeeded under the Wilson administration in persuading Congress to pass a law exempting funds appropriated for anti-trust { prosecutions to be used against labor unions and they had as their allies in that fight farmers' organizations as well. Indictment Possible. Little doubt prevails in the minds of government lawyers that the act of 1890 could be used in an emergency to secure indictments against carriers or union leaders who may have been gulity of conspiracy to restrain interstate commerce. Such a show of authority, it is_contended, might suffice in itgell to bring peace in the rail strike and might establish once and for all the principle , that while individuals may have a right to strike they cannot conbine to cause a strike on tramsportation systems en- gaged in iInterstate commer= Mr. Harding cannot allow the rail- roads and the s to fight it out any longer. He knows that such & course means danger to lives and in- Continued on Page 3, Column 5. |