Evening star., 1942-03-22
Text of Peoria Rail Order
Necessary for U. S. to Operate Rood
To Prosecute War, President Says

The tert OF President RooseUelt's 3
order for taking control OF the To-
ledo, Peoria q Western Railroad
tollotCs:
Whereas. the national interest and
security demands that there be no
interruption in the flow Of goods
essential to effective prosecution OF
the war, and
Whereas. representatives OF labor
and industry, meeting at the call
of the President, have agreed that
there shall be no strikes or lockouts
during the period of the war and
that all labor disputes shall be set
tied by peaceful means, and, to
further that agreement. the Ma
tional War Labor Board has been
established by executive order No.
COLT to bring about the peaceful
settlement of all such labor disputes,
and =,
Whereas, a labor dispute has ex-
listed between the employees and
the management of the Toledo,
Peoria & Western Railroad Co.
since December 29 194l, and has
interrupted the transportation OF
goods essential for the prosecution
of the war, and
Whereas, the National War Labor
Board, by order dated February n,
1912. directed that the dispute be
submitted to arbitration under the
terms of section 8 of the Railway
Labor Act and the representatives
of the employees have agreed there
to, but the company has refused and
continues to refuse to submit the
dispute to arbitration, despite urgent
requests by the National War Labor
Board and by the President that It
do so, and
Whereas. for the time being and
under the circumstances set forth, 1t
is essential that the Toledo, Peoria
g. Western Railroad Co. be operated
by or for the United States in order
to assure successful prosecution Of
the war;
u. S. to Take Over.
Now, therefore, by virtue Of the
authority vested in me by the Con-
stitution and laws of the United
States, and as President Of the
United States and Commander in
Chief of the Army and Navy, it is
hereby ordered:
/. The director of the Office of
Defense Transportation is directed
to take immediate possession of all
real and personal property, fran
chises, rights and other assets, tangi-
BILE and intangible, of the Toledo,
Peoria & Western Railroad Co.,
and to operate or arrange for
the operation of such railroad in
such manner as he deems necessary
for the successful prosecution of the
war, through or with the aid of such
public or private agencies, persons
or corporations, including the armed
forces of the United States, as he
may designate.
2. Such real and personal prop
erty, franchises, rights and other
assets, tangible and intangible. of
the Toledo, Peoria g. Western Rail-
road Co. as the director of the Of
flee of Defense Transportation
! deems unnecessary to carry on the
operation of such railroad may,
from time to time, in his discretion,
be returned to the Toledo, Peoria e.
Western Railroad Co.
3. The director of the ONCE of De-
fense Transportation shall manage
or arrange for the management of
said railroad under such terms and
conditions of employment as he
deems advisable and proper, pend
ing such termination Of the exist
ing labor dispute as may be ap-
proved by the National War Labor
Board. Nothing herein shall be
deemed to render inapplicable exist
Ing State or Federal laws concern