Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-08-12
Strikes
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they would move essential material
but that some Of 1t was held up by
the operators who kept their
trucks locked in garages in spite of
the urgency Of the cargoes they car
ried."
Under Government operation, the
men will be paid the increase, &C.
cording to ODT Director J. Monroe
johnson. Retroactive pay due since
November under the WLB order will
come out Of the future net operating
revenues OF the individual COM
panies.
The six-day strike crippled inter-
city truck shipments in a territory
embracing Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri,
Kansas, Minnesota, the Dakotas and
Northern Wisconsin.
Act Called Unfair.
In his report to President Roose-
welt on noncompliance by the oper-
ators, WLB Chairman William H,
Davis said transport Of materials
for 300 major war plants was jeop-
ardized.
William Wilson, Sioux Falls. presi-
dent Of the operators association
termed the WLB action leading to
the seizure as arbitrary and un.
fair but pledged full cooperation
Of the operators with the Govern
ment..
Ihls is, In my opinion. a further
attempt on the part of the board to
shift the blame for the present pre-
dicament from itself to the motor
carriers he said.
In Omaha. M. M. Krupinsky Ne
braSka. chairman of the operators
association. said meeting of
Omaha operators was scheduled
today to determine the owners at
titude On the Government seiz-
ure. The Federal action was be-
lieved to have come just in time
to prevent food shortages among
outlying Nebraska communities de-
pendent on trucks for food.
In his letter to the President
outlining the background of the
strike. and adding that the board
has no alternative but to report
this case to you for such action as
you may appropriate, Chairman
Davis said the Secretary of War
agreed that the war effort will be
unduly impeded or delayed bv in
terruptions in the facilities of the
noncomplying carriers
Cited by Roosevelt,
The Presidents order cited these
contentious as to interference with
the war effort.
10 the trucking companies. ODT
Chief johnson sent this telegram:
BY order Of the President and
on behalf OF the United States I
have today issued an order taking
possession and control as of 1901
m. August IL, 1914, of your motor
carrier transportation system and
OF property used or useful in the
operation thereof. Pending recent
OF operations orders placed in the
mail today you should continue to
manage and operate or resume
operations If possible in the usual
manner. Operations orders will
contain further direction . -"
Mr.. johnson said each company
would be returned to private oper-
alton as it complied with the WLB
wage order.
On the Detroit front Walter
Reuther, vice president of the CIO-
JAW, said 1900 of the Chevrolet
strikers voted go per cent" for re-
turn to work in compliance with
WLB order.
The strike was precipitated by
GINS firing of seven men for their
part in last weeks walkout at the
war plants, which was the result of
a dispute over increased production
rates.
Stormy hearings before both the
regional and national WLB preced-
ed last nights mass meeting of
members of Local 235 of the UAW-
CLIO, and concern had been felt as
to whether the WLB's back-to-work
order would be needed.
Mr.. Reuther said the strikers had
demanded guarantee" of no more
firings if they returned to work.
II gave them no guarantee" Mr..
Reuther said. However, did say in
view of all the facts in the case
didn't think that General Motors
would dare to fire any more because
Of the possibilities of public opinion"
Mr.. Reuther went on to declare
belief that this situation has made
General Motors more conscious that
the best chance for continuation of
production can be had II they will
pay as much attention to human
as to production engi-
There was no immediate comment
from General Motors.
Unionists had charged that Gen.
eral Motors had provoked" the
second strike by the f1rings. Cen
eral Motors in turn had charged
the union with being irresponsible.
GIN claimed that under its contract
with the UAW-CIO 1t had q right
to penalize employees Is it saw fit,
though granting that such action
could be taken up by the union in
grievance procedure.
When the union failed to win its
point from the regional WLB the
national board recommended the
discharges be brought before an i'm
partial umpire for decision, this to