Evening star., 1940-11-18
Compromise
Offer Due in
Sdnitar!yStrike
Conferees Meet;
Intensified Efforts
For Accord Seen

Cancellation conferences were con-
tinued today in an effort to settle
the strike that kept 215 Sanitary
Grocery Stores in the Washington
area closed and has affected the en-
ployment of more than 1900 persons.
Representatives of the striking re-
tail clerks and store managers met
at 10 am. with officials of the COM
pany and conciliators from the La
Dor Department in the third such
conference since the strike began
early Saturday At ! pm. the con-
ference was still going on, with no
indications as to the progress OF
the ending of the strike.
John Grasso, business agent for
the Retail Clerks Local No. 639-A,
said that compromise proposal
from the company was expected to-
day regarding the clerks demand for
$3.50 a week pay raises, two-week
instead OF one-week vacations, and
seniority ratings.
Other Stores Rushed.
Other chain stores and indeper-
dent grocery concerns reported
greatly increased business on Sat-
urday, and the rush in some stores
was said to be so great that only
regular customers could be accom-
modated. The Atlantic g. Pacific
stores had to supplement their reg
ular stock with hurried shipments
from Baltimore warehouses.
Another fact contributing to the
Saturday rush at many of the other
grocery stores was that the Ma
tion-Wide Service Stores are closed
that day on a fve-day work week
program. Nationwide reported a
business much greater than usual
this morning, however.
Stores doing a credit as well as
cash business reported great dim
Guilty in taking care Of customary
credit orders. District Grocery
Stores officials said that some OF
their stores were forced to close
their doors at times and admit only
regular customers. Supplies OF per-
ishables were depleted In many In
stances, and even greater shortages
would have occurred had the stores
not been able to call on stocks ac-
cumulated for Thanksgiving. I'VE
took care of the rush by selling our
Thanksgiving stuff" one store man
ager said, what worries me now Is
how we are going to get something
else to sell for Thanksgiving"
Large amounts of perishables were
given to charitable institutions, it
was said, these being sent directly
from the Sanitary CO.'S warehouses.
l. ,Effosts at Truce to BE Intensified.
Picket lines were. maintained to-
day around virtually all Of the 2l5
stores in and within 25-mile radius
of Washington that have been closed
by the strike.
Intensified efforts to settle the dis
pute were expected due, among other
things, to the anticipated buying
rush for Thanksgiving food supplies.
In addition to about TOO clerks
and 215 managers, members Of Lo-
cal No. 1888, some 500 meatcutters,
600 warehouse workers and 200 other
miscellaneous employees, office work.
ers, truck drivers and the like are
affected by the strike. All Of the
unions involved are afiiliated with
the American Federation of Labor.
Attendants of the concihation con-
ference have included B. A. Leather
man, Robert w. Finlay and Clarence
Dale, representing. the company; Mr..
Grasso, Richard Compton and r.
M. Coulter, union oficials, and How
ard T. Colvin and Frank j. Sheehan,
Labor Department conciliators.