The Wilmington morning star., 1946-05-25

if ever heard from a chief execu-
tive.
Recalls Beginnings
He recalled in his broadcast
that ne began comforting with them
Feb. q and traced step by step
their reflections of a~rbitrations, OF
a proposal for an Is IL cent an
hour wage increase which hc called
"eminently fair" ana even OF a
conference with the carriers n
10 other brotherhoods which ac-
cepted the proposal lin the office
of the President Of the United
States"
This is no contest between la
Dor and management" he assert
ed. This is a contest between
a small group of men and their
government. The railroads are
now being operated by your gov
eminent and the strike of these
men is a strike against their gov
eminent"
IT assume that these two men
know the terrible havoc that their
decision has caused" Mr.. Truman
said, land the ever more ex-
treme suffering that will result In
the future. It is in%conceivable that
the rank and file of these two
unions realize the terrifying situa-
ton created by the action Of these
two men"
Like Pearl Harbor
The President, at the very out
set of his broadcast, compared the
strike crisis to that caused by
the Japanese attack IN Pearl Har'
Dor.
"I come before Inc American
people tonight at a time of great
crisis" he began. "The crisis Of
Pearl Harbor was the result of act
ion by a foreign enemy. The
crisis tonight is caused by a group
of men within our own country who
place their private interests above
the welfare OF the nation"
Whitney and Johnston issued a
statement even before the Presi-
dent spoke defending their course
and contending that the carriers
would not negotiate further" or
a new proposal which they said
was advanced at the White House
Friday by Secretary of State
Byrnes and Secretary of Labor
Schwellenbach.
Following is the statement issued
by the two brotherhood chiefs:
"We had a conference with
Secretary Byrnes and Secretary
of Labor Schwellenbach this Fri
day afternoon and we suggested
the national rules-wage program
and they discussed that possibly
a settlement could be reached if
the railroads would grant us 10 1-2
cents an hour and the rules al
ready awarded by the Presidents
emergency board.
"They thought we should agree
to arbitrate the remaining rules.
1--WE advised them to put up the
proposition to the carriers.
Later We met with DR.. Steel
man at the Statler hotel. He had
just come from the carriers and
said they had definitely given him
to understand they would not
negotiate further but that they
would grant the 18 IL cents an
hour but would refrain from grant
ing any rules, disregarding the
decision of the Presidents board.
I'VE understand the railroads
have put out a statement that the
rules program 1--WE are talking
about our modified program)
would cost $500, 600, 900 If granted.
We have made an analysis of that
program and it would not exceed
$50, 900, 900 to $85, ooo, 900 a year.
The program does however
comprehend some changes in
operations and a closer super
vision Of operation of the railroads
by the carriers than has hereto
fore been given.
we feel that the public has
been laboring under the delusion
that our rules program is an in
surmountable matter. But the
facts are that the rules we have
requested, and which we have dis.
cussed with DR.. Steelman are to a
large extent in effect on many Of
the railroad and our proposal
comprehends Standardization Of
those rules throughout the nation,
1T is not our desire to incon-
venlence the American public bur
the facts are that the railroads
nave not offered us a single penny
Or an improved rule since we have
entered into negotiations with them
in November, 1945.
1T is also a notorious fact thai
the railroads declined to meet us
for a period of four months anc
three days after we had filed ou1
demands on July "a, 1945.
1--WE want the public to know
that these fine citizens who op-
Grated the trains throughout the
wal for the railroads and who
worked extraordinarily long hours
and were applauded for their
patriotism during the war are the
same who are today being denied
consideration in their rules pro.
gram.