Evening star., 1941-11-09

PTeSident ROOSetelt mas Htnted
that he may ask anti-Strike leqis-
lGtiOn and otherwise giUen eUi-
dence recently Of Stlfening atti-
tude toWard lUork stoppugeS that
interfere NTH defense program.
His last public exchange nth
union leader occurred 10 days ago
10hen three appeals to John L.
Le,Cis brought respite in strike OF
$4,000 c. I. O-United Nine
Workers in "captiue" coal mines.
BY JOHN c. HENRY.
President Roosevelt turned on
the heat Yesterday to force accept
ance by one of organized labor's
most powerful unions of the orderly
processes of the Railway Labor Act.
While the action involved only a
relatively minor strike-in its pres
ent stage only 80 employees of the
Railway Express Agency-the Presi-
dents attitude might be of great
significance in the threatened walk
out of 350000 operating trainmen
December 5.
The display of White House firm
ness came in connection with the
dispute involving the express agency
End employees who are members of
the Brotherhood of Teamsters and
the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks.
Primarily a juriSdictional dispute
between the two unions. the con-
Iroversy had been partially resolved
TO a point where striking clerks had
returned to their jobs but about so
members of the teamsters' union in
Detroit were still out.
Emergency Board to Be Named.
On Friday. Mr.. Roosevelt was in
formed by the National Mediation
Board, operating under the Railway
Labor Act, that the teamsters'
union was Threatening to interrupt
interstate commerce by a strike in
eight major cities of the United
States and adjoining communities.
The cities were Cleveland. Cincin-
natl ST. Louis. Newark, New York.
Philadelphia, San Francisco and
Chicago.
Accordingly, the President in
voked the next step of the Railway
Act by announcing his intent to
name an emergency board and by
asking Daniel J. Tobin, president of
the teamsters, to direct his striking
members before 10 o'clock yesterday
morning to return to their jobs
within 4S hours.
The union officials reply was:
First. an explanation that he could
not transmit such an order except
by direction of his General EXecu-
! tive Board, which he could not as
semble until Monday; second, that
the President had been 'misin-
formed" by the Mediation Board,
which the teamsters consider dis
tinctly prejudiced"; third, that the
iurisdictional issue should be settled
by the Executive Council of the
American Federation OF Labor. to
which both unions are affiliated.
Withholds Strike Order.
Mr.. Tobin concluded by saying
he would withhold his order for a
sympathy strike in other large cities
until he received further answer to
this request and appeal from the
/ President.
The Presidents answer was quick
in coming and pointed in its mean
! ing 1t follows:
This will acknowledge your tele-
| gram Of yesterday in response to
mine requesting that you order re-
manning vehicle employees of the
Railway Express Agency in Detroit
back to work within 48 hours. I
have fully considered your answer
and reiterate my request
Although leaving room for de-
fance by his Executive Board of
| the Presidents request, an unlikely
prospect, Mr.. Tobin responded
quickly and without further dissent
or argument to the second telegram
| from the White House.
Il am under direction Of the
Board and cannot submit the request
| by telephone" he was quoted by the
Associated Press from indianapolis
THE board members are scattered
over the country and III have to
send kilograms.
Il have no choice but to submit
/ the Presidents request to the Ex-
! ecutive Board. I will do that Mon
day and that's the last word"
Once Presidential Aide.
Mr.. Tobin, a vice president Of the
! A. F. L., has served as labor adviser
/ to the Democratic party during
presidential campaigns and also
served briefly as a special admins
trative assistant to the President,
on leave from his union duties.
His telegram challenging the
Mediation Board and asking that
the jurisdictional controversy be left
(See TRANSFERS, Page A-8J