Evening star., 1943-12-24
Railroads
Continued From First Page.

the 10 CIllelS tIley COulQ not commit
themselves on such a proposition
without talking to the carriers. Mr..
Byrnes said Mr.. Vinson also would
have to be consulted.
Most of the rail union leaders
were bitterly critical of the action
of Mr.. Whitney, who broke their
solid front by accepting arbitration.
They seemed less critical of the
withdrawal of Mr.. Johnston, who also
accepted the Presidents arbitration
offer, but said he attached a con-
dition. Mr. Johnston said he agreed
only to arbitration of the remain
ing points in dispute with the car
riers. That is, the offers made by
the carriers since mediation began
Sunday would not be considered
arbitrable. and the scope of the
Presidents authority to rule would
be limited to those demands which
the carriers had declined to con-
eede. -.
The carriers had offered the op-
Grating groups, in addition to the A.
cent hourly rate increase already in
effect, an additional cents in lieu
of overtime and expenses and one
weeks vacation. The demands in
cluded a straight Accent basic in
crease in addition to overtime and
expenses and two weeks vacation.
Whitney Called on First.
Mr.. Whitney, who heads about
5000 out of the 350,OOO operating
employees, said that in the White
House conference, when the Presi-
dent declared The war cannot wait,
and I cannot wait" he was the first
called on to say whether he would
risk his demands to the Presidents
decision.
Mr.. Whitney said he told the
President "the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Trainmen understand the seri-
BUSINESS of the problems confront
ing the Government and that we
had no desire to embarrass the Gov
eminent or retard the prosecution
of the war in any way; that we had
confidence in him as our Commander
in Chief; that he could act as sole
arbitrator in disposing of the dis
pute and that he would abide by his
decision"
The four other chiefs told the
President they would have to con-
suit their Executive Committees.
The withdrawal of Mr.. Whitney
and Mr. Johnston left H. M. Fraser
of the Order of Conductors, T. c..
Cashen of the Switchmen's Union of
North America and David B. Rob-
ertson of the Brotherhood of En-
ginemen and Firemen the remaining
chiefs of the operating group. The
two organizations which withdrew
have more than half of the five's
aggregate membership of about
350,OOO.
The White House issued this state
ment when the Presidents inter-
vention failed to produce a settle
ment:
THE President tonight directed
the Attorney General to prepare
the necessary documents for the
taking over of the railroads by the
United States Government. No date
for such action has been fixed.
"At a conference called this aft
ernoon by the President, he told
the representatives of the carriers
and the brotherhoods that there
had to be prompt settlement of
the controversy. He stated that
action had become necessary, that
the war could not wait-that he
would not wait
"He asked that he be advised
whether all parties to the contro-
versy would agree to his arbitration
of the dispute and would agree to
abide by his decision which, of
course, would have to be within the
law of the land.
Shortly after the conference ad-
journed, A. F. Whitney, representing
the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men, advised the President that his
organization was willing to have
the President arbitrate, and would
abide by his decision.
Pelley Speaks for Carriers.
John j. Pelley, president of the
Association of American Railroads,
informed the President that the rep
resentatives of the carriers unani-
mously had agreed to his arbitration
Of the dispute, and that they would
abide by his decision.
"Alvanley Johnston, representing
the Brotherhood of Engineers, noti-
fed the President that his organiza-
ton would agree to arbitration by
the President, and would abide by
his decision.
However, D. B. Robertson. rep
resentating the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Enginemen and Fire
men; Thomas c. Cashen, president