The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-12-28

lEEnlAAlAAh Vi W IlBnto VI way WHGh
the government took over. It was
a paper seizure effected with a pen
scratch. But the troops could come
later to break strike.
Under the full powers OF the seiz-
ure executive order, it probably
would be possible for the govern
ment to order southeastern carriers
to comply at once with directions
Of the fair employment practices
committee to cease certain discrim-
nations against Negro employees.
But inquiry here obtained only the
suggestive reply that I'VE seized the
roads to prevent a strike" The i'm
plication seemed to be that reform
of labor practices might not thus
be brought about by use Of authority
sought for other purposes. But there
was no official statement on that.
The refusal Of IA southeastern
carriers and seven railway unions
to adopt FEPC recommendations
was certified by that agency yester-
day to Mr.. Roosevelt for action.
Wage issues unsettled in the rail
and steel controversies now are sub
ject to further consideration and
possible adjustment under terms Of
the seizure and war labor board
orders, but only within the limits Of
the economic sterilization Oittle
SteeD formula.
The roads were seized at p. m,
EWT. yesterday by Secretary of War
Henry l.. StimSon at Mr.. Roosevelt's
direction. Stimson designated 1t.
Gen. Brehon Somervell, command
ing general of Army service forces,
to take over the roads, aided by
Maj. Gen. C. P. Gross, service forces
chief of transport. Both are West
Pointers.
The order directed Stimson to
protect all workers and to prescribe
their compensation subject to any
applicable statutory or economic
sterilization limitations. Rail work
ers may continue in their union
membership and bargain collective
ly with representatives of manage
ment-but only with respect to
wages and conditions Of work after
the roads return to private opera
ton. And there was significant
statement that the railroaders could
engage only in such concerted ac-
tom as Stimson deems not to in
terfere with operation of the car
riers. Concerted action is one way
of saying strike
At Stimson's discretion the roads
may be operated other than in con-
formity with existing laws, executive
orders and such. 1t Is that diScre-
tionary qualification which appar-
entity would permit the war depart
rnent, if it chose, to avoid becom-
ing the instrument for enforcing
FEPC recommendations on the
southeastern carriers and unions.
Named Adviser
President Martin w. Clement, of
the Pennsylvania railroad, was
named adviser to Somervell and two
union presidents were invited to
serve as labor consultants. They
were A. F. Whitney, of the Brother
hood Of Railway Trainmen, and
Alvanley Johnston, Of the Locomo-
tive Engineers.
Three hours and 10 minutes after
Stimson took over the railroads, the
War Labor Board ordered steel
wprkers back to the mills. Two
minutes after that, President Philip
Murray of the CLIO United Steel
Workers of America called off the
unauthorized stoppage which al
ready was paralyNng the industry.
Local union leaders Immediately be-
gan acknowledging these orders
with confident predictions that the
men would be back at work today.
The War Labor Board order prom
ised steel workers that any wage
adjustment would be retroactive to
the Dec. Is expiration date of PA
contracts covering $4,000 workers.
That retroactive pledge brought a
wrathy denunciation from the four
public board members. They charg-
ed that the administrations labor
policy was in retreat before another
show of force as when John L. Lewis
defied government and public SEN
timent with war time coal strikes
and got away with it. Further
more, they insisted that steel work.
ers were not entitled to any wage
adjustment under the little steel
formula.
Anti-Strike Bill
The Connally-Smith anti-strike
bill, enacted in protest against
Lewis coal strikes. apparently does
not affect either of these disputes,
although there were some indica-
lions that the War Department be-
1ieved 1t could be invoked if rail
workers struck during government
operation. Section of the act says
the term war contractor" shall not
include the carriers. The steel con-
troversy was outside the scope of
the anti-strike act because the
plants remained in private control
during a wildcat walkout.
Rep. Howard w. Smith. D., Va,
CO. author of the anti-strike act,
charged that administration pres
sure had prevented inclusion of a
section which would have caused
Murray and other steel union lead
ers to prevent the walkout at all
costs.
Today Is the 26th anniversary OF
President Woodrow Wilson'S seizure
of the railroads on December %,
1917. The United States then was
ankle deep in World War I. The
first shot was fired by American
troops on October q of that year,
only two months before the roads
began to falter under their war
load.
There was no 1917 wage dispute
but the rails were sagging under
an overload of traffic aggravated by
insufficient equipment and made
quate rates.
This time the roads were booming
along in remarkable fashion carry
ing twice as many passengers as in
the World War I peak, nearly twice
as much freight and doing it well.
But the five operating unions
Locomotive Engineers, Trainmen,
Firemen and Enginemen, Conduc-