Evening star., 1946-06-30

ful that the Senator also was
severely critical of the American
press.
Key Figures Interviewed.
Mr.. Steelman, Senator Barkley
and, numerous representatives OF
railroad labor and the carriers
themselves were interviewed. In
cluded in the latter groups were
John j. Pelley. president of the
Association of American Railroads;
three representatives of the 10 raj
labor unions which did not strike
but were intimately concerned with
the last-day developments, anc
Alvanley Johnston, head of tht
locomotive engineers, one of the two
striking unions.
From information supplied by al
sources it is concluded that at thu
time he went before Congress Mr.
Truman may have believed the two
striking unions would come to terms
and perhaps, soon. Even so, it would
not have justified a settlement an
nouncement, in view of uncertain
ties surrounding any labor man.
agement agreement until it is &C
tually signed.
The White House says Mr. Tru-
man carried two versions of his
speech, one slightly different which
he would have delivered had he
been aware of settlement before
starting the talk.
That it would have been danger
GUS for the President to have started
his speech with an optimistic state
ment about the strike is borne out
in statement by one of the negoti-
ators for the railroads. He said
that at the time he went into what
proved to be the strike ending con-
ference shortly after pm. that
day with Mr.. Steelman, Mr.. John
son and A. F. Whitney, president OF
the trainmen. he believed the union
leaders would ask for more than II
turned out they were ready Il
settle for.
Supporting Evidence Lacking.
None of the parties to the nego-
tiations professed to have any evi.
dence to support Senator Morse's
charges Of administration stalline
in getting agreement. Most of them
believed Mr.. Steelman and his mer
did everything possible to expedite
settlement.
All were agreed that the actua,
signing of the settlement agreement
by representatives of the carriers
Mr.. Whitney and Mr.. Johnston took
place from 3:55 to 1857 pm.
AS to Senator Morse's charge that
the two union heads sent out tele.
grams to their men to report tt
work at long before that cheap
dramatic move on the part. ol
Steelman," Mr.. Johnston told Tht
Star:
That at 1928 pm. in the Statlel
Hotel conference room he telephonec
his chief clerk in the Engineers
Cleveland Office to flash to all locals
the code word ending the strike ane
ordering the men to return to work
At the time only a long-hand draf
of the agreement had been made
and Mr.. Johnston said he was will.
ing to act before it had been typec
and signed.
Mr.. Whitney could not be reached
for an interview, but Mr.. Steelman
MIR. Pelley and the other carrier ne.
gotiators say Mr.. Whitney refused
to call of the strike until the agree
ment was signed. Mr.. Pelley ane
Mr.. Steelman said Mr.. Whitney no
titled his Cleveland office to call of
the strike at 1853, a couple Of min
utes before the President began hi
address.
Mr.. Pelley's Story.
Mr.. Pelley described events leading
up to the settlement in this way:
"We on management's side wer
advised for the first time of tn
willingness of Mr. Whitney and MI
Johnston to settle on the Presi
dents terms at meeting at tn
Statler Hotel on the afternoon o
May Is.
"At 8 pm. Mr.. Steelman calle'
me and asked us (the carriers ne
gotiating committee) to come t
Room W-404 at the Statler. w
were on the sixth floor of the hote
and reached Room W-404 abou
3:05. Messrs. Johnston, Whitne
? and Steelman were there.
1--WE, Of course, did not kno,
what they wanted to talk abou'