Evening star., 1943-12-28
Texts of Railroad Seizure Announcements

Follocino is the White House
announcement. issued last nioht,
OF the presidential order Jor Seis-
ure Of the railroads, the Presi-
dents statement or arbitration
OF the rail disputes and the tert
OF the eTecutiue order for seizure
ond operation of the roads.
The President today signed al
executive order directing the Secre
tary of War to take over the rail
roads at o'clock tonight to avoit
interruption of transportation b,
threatened strikes.
Mr. A. F. Whitney, on behalf o.
the Brotherhood of Railroad Train.
men. and MI. Alvanley Johnston, or
behalf of the Brotherhood of Loco.
motive Engineers. on December q
rescinded their strike orders anC
agl oed TO the arO.tra ion Of theil
pending disputes by the President
of the United States. At pm the
representatives Of the incorporating
employees organizations Informed
the President that they had re-
scinded their strike orders. The
carriers and the incorporating EN-.
ployes do not, however, agree upor
the scope Of the issues to be ar.
bltrated by the President. Strike
orders of the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen
the Ordsr of Railway Conductors ol
America and the Switchmen's Unior
OF North America are still in force
States Reason for Order.
In signing the executive order
taking over the railroads, the Presi.
dent said:
Railroad strikes by three brother.
hoods have been ordered for mex
Thursday. l cannot wait until tn,
last moment to take action TO Sc,
that the supplies to our nghtini
men are not interrupted 1 am &C
cordingly obliged to take over a
once temporary possession and con
troll of the railroads to ensure thei
continued operation. The Govern
ment will expect every railroad mai
to continue at his post of duty. Th
major military offensives now plan
ned must not be delayed by tn
interruption of vital Transportation
facilities. If any employees of tn
railroads now strike. they will b
striking against the Government O
the United States
Before signing the executive orde
taking over the railroads, the Presi
dent rendered his decision as arbi
traitor of the disputes affecting tn
Brotherhood of Locomotive Train
men and the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers He affirmed tn
increase of cents per hour whic
had previously been granted by tn
Stacy Emergency Board "a railwa
mediation board which original
handled the case) and had bee
approved by the Economic Sta
bilization Director. In addition
in considering claims not previousl
presented to the Stacy board or tn
Economic Sterilization Director, h
granted further increase of cent
per hour effective Immediately. :,
lieu of claims for time and a hal
for overtime in excess Of 40 hours
week and for expenses while ava
from home. He also approved
vacation of one week a year wit
pay at the basic hourly rate of EN-
ployment. Such a vacation is no.
received by the incorporating en-,
ployes. The President directed ths
his award be effective for the dura
ton Of the war without prejudic
to the rights of either party there
after to request a change in tn
agreement. The President fur the
stated that he had been advised b
the economic stabilization directc
that his decision was in conformit
with the national stabilization pre-
gram.
Statement by the President.
After conference with repre-