Evening star., 1946-09-05
Rail Embargo
Ordered as Shin
Strike Begins
Truman Puts Issue
Up to SchweIIenbuch:
Will Act When Called
By the Associated prss.

NEW YORK. Sept. 5.-The
Nation wide strike of AFL sea-
men officially started at II am
today after sailors in New York
and Baltimore began their walk
out a few hours earlier.
AS union leaders predicted the tie
up would stop all salt water ship
ping, President Truman announced
that the dispute over limitation of
negotiated wage raises by the Wage
Sterilization Board was in the
hands of Secretary of Labor Schwel-
lenbach, but that he would act when
the matter is put before him.
Shortly before the II am. dead
line. the Association of American
Railroads ordered an immediate en-
barge on all rail shipments to ports
with certain exceptions, including
foodstuffs and fuel.
John Hawk, vice president of the
Seafarers' International Union, an
nounced here The strike is on: it
is in effect and 100 per cent effec-
tive"
100000 Involved in AFL.
The strike involved approximately
100000 members of the Seafarers
Union, the Sailors Union of the Pa
cif1c and 100000 other AFL union
members and the CIO National
Maritime Union, which has an
nounced it would ooserve picket
lines.
The rail embargo was applied to
all carload and less-than carload
freight consigned or reconsigned to
any port area and intended for ex-
port, coastwlse or inter-coastal
movement by water, including ex-
port freight intended for storage
within the port area, with these ex.
ceptions:
l. Grain, soybeans, riax seed anc
malt in bulk.
2. Petroleum or petroleum prod.
ucts in tank cars to be unloadeo
from cars before overseas movement
3. Coal or coke in bulk wher
moving to Hampton Roads anc
north.
4. Freight consigned to the Army
Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard
5. Freight for storage when con.
signed to public warehouses or ir
care of the port terminal carrie,
Tor carrier storage, providing prio,
arrangements have been made fol
such storage.
D. Freight covered by numbered
permits issued by district manager,
OF the association.
Longshoremen to Respect Pickets.
Longshoremen worked throuehou
the forenoon in New York, bu,
Cnarles Spencer, secretary of thu
New York District Council, Inter.
national Longshoremen's Associa.
tion fAFL), said New Yorks Is .O0t
longshoremen would respect pickle
lines as soon as they were estab.
liShed tomorrow.
The exact number of seamen whit
walked out in New York was no
known Immediately, but the Mari.
time Commission said there were
81 ships in port manned by Sea.
farers' Union crews and Is manned
by the Sailors Union.
William Rentz. Seafarers' Unior
business agent in Baltimore, esti.
mated that 1000 men were on be.
tween 81 and 40 ships in the har.
Dor.
Strike Delayed in New England.
Although Mr.. Hawk called thu
strike 100 per cent effective, Johr
Morgan, port agent for the Bostor
local of the Seafarers' Union, an.
nounced earlier that approximate,
1000 New England seamen had post.
poned jointing the strike until to-
morrow.
(Pickets from the Sailors
| Union formed lines along the
water front at San Francisco, at
Oakland and at Portland, Oreg.,
at 8 am. today. Police said pick
citing began in orderly fashion,
WSB Offers to Reconsider.
The strike called by the two AFT
unions came despite a last-minutt
offer by the WSB to consider a re.
hearing of its disapproval of tn.
pay increase.
The strike call by the Sailors
'see MARITIME, Page A-6J