Evening star., 1944-02-23

IicSlucilb HOOSeVelL OrQered
Secretary of War Stimson today
to- take over and operate the
strike-crippled Los Angeles Mu-
nicipal Water and Power De-
partment.
The Today strike by AFL depart
ment employees which left some 100
war plants and 125000 homes and
business firms without electricity
was denounced today by William
Green, president of the American
Federation OF Labor who said the
walkout would harm labor.
In Los Angeles the Presidents
move was hailed by an employe
spokesman as what we want"
Floyd C. Leach, an engineer in the
department, said the $500 employees
who have been on strike for 10
days were being instructed to return
to work
While the President frequently has
ordered Government seizure of
plants or industries involved in the
war effort, this was the first time
he has ordered seizure of any munic-
ipal facility.
Cites War Delay.
Mr.. Roosevelt said in an executive
order that "the war effort is being
and will be unduly irnpeded or de.
layed," by an interruption Of opera
ton Of the power plants, water
works and distribution system of the
city.
More than $500 of the $500 en-
ployes of the city water and power
department are striking for a wage
increase.
I'VE have no objection to the
Army taking over Mr.. Leach said
of the presidential order. Now the
management will be forced to nego-
tiate and refer the employees de-
mands to an arbitration agent. The
strike had reached a stalemate with
the city refusing negotiation.
Col. Rufus w. Putnam, Army dis
trlct engineer in Los Angeles, was
designated by Acting Secretary of
War Patterson to direct seizure of
the department
Mr.. Patterson and Secretary OF
the Navy Knox issued a joint state
ment declaring that the Presidents
order was necessitated by a strike
that has crippled vital war produc-
tion and damaged civilian morale.
War Plants Hindered.
The workers responsible for the
strike, said their statement, are few
IN number, but their action has dis
rupted service to number of plants
engaged in production for the Army
and the Navy, jeopardizing plans of
the two services for future offensive
operations
Mr.. Knox and Mr.. Patterson said
IL Is "unthinkable that patriotic
Americans would knowingly obstruct
the war effort" and they appealed
to striking workers to return i'm
medlately to their jobs.
Mr.. Green repudiated the strike
OF the employees who are members
OF the AFT Brotherhood of Electri-
cal Workers, adding that their
action will do labor in the United
States immeasurable harm"
Mr.. Green, in telegram to Scott
Milne, international representative
OF the IBEW, said the strike "is a
clear and definite violation of the
no-strike pledge of the AFL to the
President" adding:
I officially and personally re-
pudlate this strike and in the name
OF millions of members of the AFL
appeal to these workers through YOU
10 return to work Immediately"
Mayor Asked Seizure.
Mayor Fletcher Bowron of Los
Angeles had telegraphed Mr.. Pat
terson a request the Army take over
the municipal department.
In the executive order, Mr.. Slim
son was directed to relinquish DOS
session and operation of the mu-
nicipal facilities within so DAYS after
determining that their eficiencv
had been restored.
Specifically, the President au-
thorized Government seizure of the
water works, water production and
water distribution facilities, power
generating stations, distribution.
transmission and communications
systems. and other plants, facilities.
installations and properties in the
(See POWER, Page A-4)