Evening star., 1941-11-27
Machinists'' Strike
Ended as WeIders
Threaten WaIkout
Foet-Findine Board Will
Reopen Work Tomorrow
In RoiIrood Dispute
BY the Associated Press.

ey the Associated Press.
A jurisdictional strike of $500
A. r. L. machinists at St. Louis was
ended today, and President Roose-
velt's Finding Board made
ready for new hearings at Washing
ton on the threatened Nationwide
railroad walkout.
Offsetting in part these concili-
atory move. the threat of West
Coast shipyaris welders' strike be-
came more acute. A spokesman for
the United Welders. Cutters and
Helpers of America announced that
about 1900 men employed in Los
Angeles shipyards had voted ito
support strike If 1t becomes neces-
sary"
However, the welders went to work
without incident today.
The velders have demanded, with
out success, that the A. F. l.. grant
them separate charter. The weld
Ing workers contend that in some
cases they have to take out member
ship in as many as half a dozen
unions in order to ply their trade.
Deadline Was Set.
The Los Angeles strike vote was
ordered after the International
Brotherhood of Boilermakers. Iron
Shipbuilders and Helpers served no.
tice that the wolders, who had
bolted from that union. had until
last night to apply for reinstatement
before being elected from their
jobs at the Los Angeles shipyards.
The A. F. l.. holds contracts with
ehipbuilders In the Los Angeles
harbor area. and welders are re-
quired to clear through 1t to obtain
Jobs.
After last nights vote to support
q strike. the welders' spokesman said
the showdown would come "if the
boilermakers start locking the men
out"
Collection Attempts Delayed.
However, the California Ship
building Corp, which has Maritime
Commission orders for II Liberty"
cargo ships each costing more than
81 500 ,000 said after a conference
with the A. r. L. Boilermakers'
Union, that there would be no at
tempt to collect dues from welders
in that plant at present. Efforts to
mediate the issue were going on in
Washington.
Assistant Navy Secretary Ralph A.
Bard expressed deep concern over
the situation. He requested the
velders to stay on the job and re-
frain from any interference with
production
The once Of Production Manage
nent recently worked out an agree
ment with A. F. L. oficials under
which welders would be allowed to
work with only one card, but the
welders refused to pay dues to the
boilermakers, stuck to their de-
,mands for autonomy, and declared
the o. P. NJ. agreement was reached
without consulting their independent
organization. Further, they said,
the agreement was not acceptable
because it did not overcome dis
elimination and abuses" to which
they said they were subject.
Termination of the three-day
general strike Of machinists in the
St. Louis industrial area was an
nounced last night, although details
,of the peace formula were not re-
lvealed. The walkout. which tied up
or slowed down work on millions
of dollars worth of defense orders,
stemmed from a triple jurisdictional
dispute involving the A. F. L. Ma
chinists, A. F. L. Hosting Engineers
and A. F. L. Carpenters Unions
The original issue was over the right
to represent "a garage mechanics at
the Weldon Springs CMoD INT
plant.
The agreement for the machinists
10 return to work was worked out
with the assistance of Joseph D.
keenan,. labor expert for the
o. P. M.
There has been no settlement" :"
Mr.. keenan, said. I'VE convinced
union officials that before any set
tlement could be reached the ma
chinists must return to work in the
interest of national defense"
He called the strike the most seri-
Gus in the Nation.
Rail Hearings Tomorrow.
The fve-member fact-fnding
board appointed by President Roose-
belt in the railroad wage dispute
arranged TO reopen hearings tomor-
row in order to meet the Presidents
request for a report by Monday on
new facts in the case.
Before the Emergency Board re-
pumed its consideration Of the rail-
road wage controversy, the full
membership of the board met for an
hour and a half this morning with
President Roosevelt.
Those who saw the Chief Execu-
tive were Chairman Wayne l.. Morse,
Huston Thompson, Prof. Thomas r.
Powell, Prof. James c. Bonbright
and James H. Willets. They refused
to comment as they left the White
House.
The Nashville, Chattanooga and
st. Louis Railways Clerks Associa-
ton yesterday agreed to President
Roosevelt's fact-finding boards rec
ommendation for wage increases.
Great Lakes Strike.
IN Buffalo a statement by an Of
hcial of the Great Lakes Towing Co
that the strike against the tugboat
firm lis a squabble between two