Evening star., 1943-12-29
Rail Strike0ff
AS Three Unions
Cancel Orders
PorIey in Office
Of Gen. SomerveII
Averts WuIkout
STEEL MILLS nearly back to nor
NAL; wage talks continue.
Page Ais

Ey the Associated Press
Secretary of War Stimson an
nounced today that the heads of
the three railway unions which
had not previously rescinded
their strike calls had assured
the War Department that they
would take no action that would
imperil the successful prosecu-
ton of the war" and that they
would cancel Immediately the
Walkout scheduled for am.
tomorrow.
The three union chiefs issued 4
| joint statement with 1t. Gen.
Brehon Somervell head of the
Army's Service Forces, after a con-
ference in the latters Office They
were David B. Robertson of the
, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
/ and Enginemen. H. w Fraser of the
Order of Railway Conductors and
! T. G. Cashen of the Switchmen's
Union of North America.
! Gen Somervell was assigned by
Mr.. Stimson to take over the rail-
roads.
The three unions represent ap-
proximately 10000 railway employees
whose decision to strike tomorrow
caused President Roosevelt to order
/ the Nations railroads taken over by
the Army Monday night
c. Dv.~~~
| The three leaders arranged to
meet War Mobilization Director
Byrnes at his White House Offices
at 2 pm. to discuss their --7ge
! demands. They refused, n. a.
while, to discuss their case or the
withdrawal of their strike order.
Executive Committees of the three
brotherhoods were at hotel, avail
able on short notice for meetings
to ratify any action.
The brief announcement, read by
Maj Gen. Alexander Surles. head
of the War Department Public Rela.
| tions Bureau. follows:
The Secretary of War announced
/ that there will be no railroad strike
Representatives of the Order OF
Railway Conductors, the Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen and
Enginemen. and the Switchmen's
Union of North America today as
: sured Gen. Somerville that they and
the organizations they represent will
take no action which might irnperil
the successful prosecution of the
war. and that they will Immediately
cancel the strike order"
Both Mr.. Stimson and Gen. Som
ervell said that as far as they are
concerned there would be no arbi-
tration of wages while the roads are
under their control.
The unions decision not to strike
did not dispose of the wage
controversy. The IS incorporating
unions of more than million work.
ers accepted the Presidents offer to
arbitrate, but Mr.. Roosevelt an
nounced yesterday that he cannot
proceed to do that until the unions
and the carriers agree on what is
TO be arbitrated
Thus the controversy is back where
it started. except that the non-op-
Grating unions have withdrawn their
strike authorization. They accepted
graduated increases of 4 to 10 cents
and want the President to decide
their right to overtime after 40
hours, but the carriers want both
questions decided as one.
> The two operating unions-train-
men and englneers-who promptly
1 accepted the President as referee
are receiving. meanwhile, the bene-
mt OF scent hourly increase which
he awarded as an overtime benefit.
With all the fanfare and flourish
: accompanying Government posses
sion of the railroads. Mr.. Stim-
. son broadcast last night an as
i. surance to the public that there
: will be no alteration in schedules. in
, service or in personnel because of
the change
The same men will operate the
trains, the yards, the shops, the sta
tions, and all other installations in
precisely the same way as before"
! he said.
l The Secretary explained that the
=