Evening star., 1945-06-16
Chicago Truck
.|ndustrySeized;
MPson Scene
Two Unions Voted
Stoppuge Before
U. 5. Took Control


CHICAGO, June 16.-Militarv
police reached Chicago today ap-
parently prepared to enforce
Government control of Chicago,s
trucking industry, seizure of
which was expanded at midnight
to forestall the possibility of a
drivers strike.
Several hundred MP's from Camp
Custer, Mich, and from nearby
Camp Skokie, ILL.,, encamped in
Grant Park on the lakeside edge of
Chicagos downtown loop" district
as large numbers of truck drivers
repeatedly were staying off their
routes awaiting military protection.
A total of /, TOO trucking lines were
under Government orders, directed
by Ellis T. Longenecker, Office of
Defense Transportation trouble
shooter who also was Federal man.
ager of truck lines seized last August
In Minneapolis. OF the l,70O lines,
l,l00 were seized last month.
Str1ke Vote Held.
In charge of the military arm of
the seizure was Mai. Alexander
Baxter, chief of the highway divi-
sion. zone transportation corps. 9Th
Service Command, and two liaison
aides, Capt. A. Beadle and 1t. F. w.
Harm.
The expanded possession of the
lines came "a days after a week-old
strike was broken May % by seizure
Of the l,l00 lines Food perishables
and war essential supplies were
moved In Army trucks at that time.
and the strike was called off a few
hours after Government seizure.
The second seizure order, stem
ming from a long standing contro-
versy over wages and hours, was
issued in Washington as a small
percentage of the approximate IA
600 drivers Of the two unions in
volved voted, 805 to 1913, to strike.
Small Vote Expected.
Union spokesmen said the small
turnout for the strike ballot was
not entirely unexpected 1t was
limited to drivers whose companies
were not included in the first ODT
seizure while many others did not
vote after it was announced the
ODT had assumed control of other
lines.
Early today 1t was not definitely
known what percentage of the union
drivers would bow to the strike
ballot. Under the Smith Connally
War Labor Disputes Act, strikes by
employees of firms under Federal
control are outlawed
Officials of the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters (AFL)
which was not involved in last
months walkout, said its members
would not strike. No immediate
comment was available from OFF,
cials of the second union, the indie
pendent Truck Drivers, which called
off its strike few hours after Pres
ident Truman's May % seizure order.
The walkout had paralyzed move
ment of goods throughout the Mid
west region.
Control Broadened.
The new seizure order broadened
the previous Government control,
taking in all trucking lines having
contracts with the independent
union and the IBT Local 705. The
IBT union has 5000 members and
the independent approximately
5000. In yesterdays vote the indie
pendent union ballot was 482 for
the strike and "a against; IBT union
323 for and also "a against.
Both unions had petitioned fo1
the strike vote last April. The in
dependents walked out following q
War Labor Board decision granting
wage increase of $408 weekly fol
51-hour week, made retroactive to
Jan. /. The unions had demanded
$5 weekly increase and a 48-houl
week as against current pay of 81.
to $3.50 for 81 hours. The VILE