Evening star., 1944-01-03
Early Says President,
Strike Critic Appear
Agreed on Dangers
Declares They Seemed
To Have Been Thinking
Along the Same Lines
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
Presidential Secretary Stephen
Early said today President
Roosevelt seemed "to have been
thinking along the same lines
as the high Official who asserted
that the rail and steel contro-
versies had strengthened Ger
man morale and will to resist.
Mr.. Early cited remarks Mr.
Roosevelt made to chiefs of the rail-
road brotherhoods December %, tell
ing them that If they could not take
action by agreement, he would have
to act himself and that he was
thinking about the American forces
all over the world who are trying tc
win this war;
Asked by a reporter whether II
was a fair deduction that the Presi-
dent had been advancing to some
degree the view subsequently ex.
pressed by the anonymous Govern
ment authority, Mr.. Early replied:
Il don't know whether there is
any relation or connection. One
probably is little bit more military
than the other, you see. That is his
responsibility, entirely and com
pletely, and so is it the Presidents
as commander in chief.
Statement Denounced.
Il don't think they are connected
or related except as they seem tc
have been thinking along the same
lines"
The anonymous statement New
Year eve that the strike situations
and the taking over of the railroads
by the Government may have de-
layed victory over Germany was de-
nounced by railroad union leaders
who said they would ask the Tru-
man Committee of the Senate to
investigate the source.
Mr. Early said that so far as he
known no formal demand has been
received at the White House that
the individual who discussed the
strike situation be identified.
One union chief declared the
statement was resented bitterly
and that he and his associates
would take very definite steps to
find out the source"
Refers to Transcript.
Mr. Early referred to a transcript
OF what the President had told rail
brotherhood chieftains December %,
a week before they had scheduled a
strike growing out of a wage con-
troversy.
We have now come to an action
date" Mr.. Early quoted the Chief
Executive as saying. 1--WE have
been talking here since Sunday. If
you can't take action by agreement
l will have to take action myself"
The presidential secretary said he
mad noticed that some people had
appeared to be surprised when Mr.
Roosevelt ordered Government sci
zure OF the railways, and that he had
always wondered where the surprise
element came in, since the Chief
Executive had been so plain and
blunt to the union executives.
Quoted Further.
Mr.. Early quoted the President as
saying further:
I am thinking about the Ameri-
can forces all over the world who
are trying to win this war. They
must be sustained and they will be
sustained. The overwhelming ma
Jority, SO per cent, of the American
people want our forces, who are try-
ing to win this war, Sustained"
The President told the labor off,
cials the war could not wait and he
as commander in chief, could not
wait, so Il am going down the list
OF those here. and I am going to ask
you very simple question. I want
TO know whether you have any OBJ
lectlons to my deciding this con-
troversy and whether you will agree
at the same time that you will abide
by my decision"
Strikes Called Tragedy"
The Government figure, who stip-
ulated that his name was not to
be used, described the labor dis
(see sTRIKEs. Paee A-5J