Evening star., 1946-05-23
Stee|man Calls in MANAGEMENT
To Join Unions at White House
Southern RuiIroud
Ordering Its Trains
Not to Depart
BULLETIN

NEW YORK R).-The Penn
sylvania Railroad this after
noon cancelled three pas
senger trains to the South. A
New York Central spokesman
said several trains were be-
ing held at Grand Central
Station Ito see what will de-
velop." Meanwhile, huge
crowds jammed subway sta
tions as many New York
business firms dismissed en-
ployes early to let them get
home before the scheduled
strike began.
Leaders of the railroad train
mems and engineers brother
hoods, who were summoned to
the White House shortly before
noon today to give President
Truman their answer to his COM
promise wage proposal, still had
not seen the Chief Executive at
2 p.m.-two hours before the
time set for a Nationwide
strike-according to Press Sec
retary Charles G. Ross.
: Every effort is being made to
settle the rail labor dispute" Mr..
Ross said.
While the conference was on, the
Association of American Railroads
was advised that the Southern Rail-
road had ordered all terminals to
hold up all trains due to depart be-
tween / and pm. today. Number
35, the passenger train due to
leave Washington for New Orleans
at l pm. was held at Union Sta
tion. Association officials said the
action did not necessarily mean the
strike was going into effect, but
that they were taking no chances.
Steelman Gives Invitation.
e Mr.. Ross told newsmen that A. F..
Whitney and Alvanley Johnston,
head of the trainmen and engineers,
respectively, had come to the White
House at the invitation of John R..
Steelman, the Presidents labor
adviser.
They arrived at the White House
at 1870 am, sat for while in a
room outside Mr.. Trumans Office
and then were understood by news
men on the outside to have joined
Mr.. Truman.
About an hour later, representa-
tives of the carriers, headed by John
j. Pelley, president of the American
Association--of Railroads, came to
the White House and entered by a
side door, avoiding newsmen. Mr..
Ross said they had not seen the
President either.
Mr.. Ross gave reporters this pic
ture of the situation at pm:
II have very little to report. Mr..
Whitney and Mr.. johnson are here.
They have not yet seen the Presi-
dent.
President Goes to Lunch.
"The operators, headed by Mr..
Pelley and his group, are also here
They came in at the invitation of
Mr.. Steeman. They have not yet
seen the President.
"The President went to lunch at
his usual hour of / o'clock and has
just returned to his Office. Every
effort is being made to settle the rail
labor dispute"
Earlier the White House had sent
Mr.. Steelman to crucial conferences
with labor and management repre-
sentatives in an effort to head off
the strike.
IT can't tell you anything now"
Mr.. Steelman told reporters as he
left hotel after meeting with Mr.
Whitney and Mr.. Johnston.
Strike Headquarters Set Up.
Mr.. Steelman refused to say
whether he might have injected a
higher wage increase figure than
the 1872 cents an hour boost Mr..
Truman suggested last night as a
compromise.
In New York, Thomas j. Harkins,
Eastern representative for the
engineers, said he had mo hope"
that the walkout on tn Govern
ment-seized lines would be called
off. He added:
"I hope I'm wrong"
Mr.. Harkins set up strike head
quarters in New York for an area
comprising 500-mile radius about
the city.
Meanwhile, railroads warned New
York commuters to get home before
the strike deadline, and the New
York Police Department planned to
put all men on 12-hour duty.
Leaders of the trainmen and en-
gineers' brotherhoods said earlier
the 1917 h-cent-an-hour increase sug-
gested by Mr.. Truman last night
was unfavorable. They said it would
rule out any changes in present
working conditions.
Pressure Might Hold Line.
The proposed wage arrangements
were accepted by 18 other brother
hoods, and there was belief in some
quarters that pressure of those unions
might be strong enough to keep the
two dissidents in line.
While the White House and op-
orators refused to state what the
Presidents proposal was, Mr.. Whit
ney said the offer amounted to 1914
cents hourly as compared to 16 cents
recommended by fact finding
boards which heard the rail workers
(see RAILROADS, Page A-6.)
Cardinal Griffin Leaves u. S.