Evening star., 1941-09-11
Faef-Finding Board
Prepares TO Study
Rail Wage Dispute
Dute of First Session Will
Be Set by Mediation
Body Next Monday
Nv the ASsnciated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A fact-f1nding board appointed by
President Roosevelt prepared today
to dig into the issues of threat
ened Nationwide strike of 1850 900
railroadmen.
Dean Wayne Lyman Morse OF the
University of Oregon Law School
heads the board, personnel OF which
was announced yesterday. Other
members are Thomas Reed Powell,
Harvard law professor; James Cum
n1ings Bonbright, professor OF
finance at Columbia University;
Joseph Henry Willis, director OF
social sciences for the Rockefeller
Foundation, and Huston Thompson,
Washington, attorney.
The National Railway Mediation
Board will meet at Chicago Monday
to determine when and where the
fact-finding board will begin its ses-
sions Under the railroad mediation
law, the board must report to the
President within 80 days, but no
legal strike can be put, into effect
until 80 days after the report is
made.
Had Set WalkOut Today.
The 100000 members of IA nom
operating railroad unions originally
had set their walkout for today, and
350,000 members of five operating
brotherhoods had decided to strike
next Monday. Appointment OF the
fact-finding board, however, rem
dered these dates ineffective.
A spokesman for the non-operat-
ing unions reported the members
have been notified of indefinite
postponement of the strike.
The railroad men are seeking
higher wages. The operating en-
ployes want 80 per cent boost in
basic pay; the operating work
ers ask increases ranging from 80
to "a cents an hour. The railroads,
rejecting the demands, said the in
creases sought would amount to
5000. .OOO. .0OO a year, which they con-
tended would be impossible to pay
under existing circumstances
Other labor developments over the
Nation included:
A. F. L. craftsmen employed in
construction of a $5,000,000 Curtiss-
Wright propeller plant at Beaver,
Pa, went on a general strike last
night following a jurisdictional dis
pute with the Duquesne Light co.
over installation Of electrical equip
ment at the plant by light company
employees who are not members OF
the A. r. L.
Strike Held In Abeyance.
A proposed strike Of A. F. L. op-
Grating engineers against the Union
Electric Co. of Missouri was held in
allowance pending negotiations in
Washington. A strike would cut on
power in st. Louis and many other
points in Missouri. Illinois and
Iowa. The union demands hourly
wage increases to 90 cents for la
borers now receiving 51la cents,
si.25 for those getting more than
s1h cents and $1.37 for welders
now receiving $1.15.
The National Defense Mediation
Board undertook to negotiate q set
tIement of strike of A. r. l.. mold
ers at the American Brake Shoe q
Foundry Co. Mahwan, N. j. The
rnclders struck July 20, asking for
union shop, overtime pay for hoG-
days, and q wage increase OF Is
cents an hour over scales which
were not disclosed.
Pullman Agreement Reached.
The Mediation Board announced
that an agreement had been reached
for settlement Of strike OF 1900
A. r. L. workers at the Pullpan
Standard Car Co., Michigan City,
Ind, but details were not disclosed
pending ratification by the union.
The strike began August II over
questions of union security, senior
fly and an arbitration clause.
Withdrawal of designations by 81
cable way operators at Shasta Dam,
near Reddirfg, Calf, removed a
work stoppage threat at the $70,-
100000 project. After a meeting
OF the A. F. L. operators union last
night, e. A. Hester, business agent,
said the cable way men, who had
submitted designations which would
have taken effect this morning, were
willing to remain on the job pend
ing further wage negotiations. The