Evening star., 1946-05-21
Progress Reported
In Moves 10 Avert
Railway Walkout
Cancellation Porleys
Continue, With Truman
Ready to Lend Hand
By Joseph A. Fox

Prospects for Government ef-
forts to keep the railroads run
ming seemed brighter today as
President Truman returned to
the White House prepared to
| lend a hand in the negotiations
if necessary.
While trainmen and engineers
went ahead with their, plans to
strike at the end of the flve-day
truce Thursday, if peace moves
failed, both their spokesmen and
those for the carriers reported prog
ress in their separate talks with
John r. Steelman, White House
labor adviser, who is acting as me-
diator.
Landing at National Airport late
yesterday after 20-hour trip to
Missouri in which he made brief
talk and called on the Nation to
work, work, work. Mr.. Truman
was met by Reconversion Director
John r. Snyder, who drove to the
White House with him, and brought
the Chief Executive up to date on
the talks that went on in his abb
sence.
Calls for Work.
The Presidents admonition came
in an extemporaneous speech at
William Jewell College, Liberty, Mo-,
near Kansas City, where he took
part in the 9th commencement
exercises and accepted the honorary
degree of doctor of laws.
While making no direct reference
to the current troubles in rails and
coal, the President recalled that on
both We and J-J days he had
called for work, work, work." and
said that this should be the guiding
principle today also.
Pointing to newsmen seated be-
fore him, the President said that
somebody has to sit in the front
row and do the work.
Now that is true in Congress;
that is true in the railroads; that is
true in the automobile factories;
that is true in the mills and every
thing else that makes this country
great" he added.
One Cog Can Cause Harm.
When one cog in organized So
ciety gives out, Mr. Truman warned,
the whole structure begins to shake
loose"
Now, let me urge upon you, get in
line" he concluded. Get on the
team; do a little work; help make
the United States what it must be
from now on-the leader of the
world in peace as 1t was the leader
of the world in war"
While the rail parleys continued
brotherhood official said that new
code words have been sent out to
keep the men in line If the strike
finally is called off.
The passwords convention" and
johnson" were employed to notify
the rank and file of the truce agreed
upon Saturday by A. F. Whitney and
Alvanley Johnson, respective heads
of the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen and Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers.
The code words, 1t was explained
are the only signal the men will ac-
cept to stay on the job. They are
kept so secret that only a few letters
OF the official word are mailed tc
system chairmen in one envelope
another following through the mai
containing the remaining letters te
complete the designated word.
Mr.. Steelman had high hopes ht
could arrange a compromise before
the Thursday deadline-4 pm. loca
standard time.
Along this line, he already had g
new offer from the brotherhoods
Mr.. Whitney said the new propose
had been given Mr.. Steelman to con.
vey to the carrier negotiators. How.
ever, neither Mr.. Whitney nor thu
carriers nor Government men woulc
say what it contained.