Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-05-18
ODT Seeks Help of
All NonruiIwuy
Transit Systems
BULLETIN

the once OF Defense Trans
portation today was consider
ing a proposal to have military
planes fly the mail and non
rail transportation systems
handle their capacity of
freight and passenger traffic
If a strike paralyzes the rail-
roads.
The Office of Defense Trans
portation, faced with railroad
strike set for 4 pm. today, asked
the Army and Navy and all nom
rail transportation systems to
prepare to step into the breach.
Airlines, water carriers, truck and
bus systems were asked to assume,
If necessary, what share they could
Of hauling the Nations freight and
passengers.
A union statement that "the rail-
road strike is on" dampened al
ready faint hopes that the rail
transportation system of the coun-
try might be spared an immediate
Gripping.
johnson Holds Conference.
Director j. Monroe johnson of
ODT conferred with representatives
of nonrail groups, including the
armed forces, but the brief an
nouncement on the meeting carried
no hint of the plans devised, if any.
The ODT director also telegraph
ed the 10 brotherhoods who are not
going along with the trainmen and
engineers on today's scheduled
strike He asked them to continue
manning the 337 carriers seized by
the Government yesterday.
1.-THE President having decided
that the railroads are to be operated
in the possession and control of the
Government, I will appreciate your
cooperation in preserving and con-
tinuing rail service" the messages
to the non-striking unions said.
ODT Announcement.
The announcement of Col John
sons conference on the use of air,
water and highway carriers follows:
AT II am. today, Col. j. Monroe
johnson, director of the ODT, held
a conference with representatives
of the ODT and Interstate Com
merce Commission and of airlines,
water carriers, highway carriers,
and Army and Navy to request them
to formulate plans for utilization of
nonrail transportation facilities in
case there is a stoppage of rail
transportation
There was much tension at head
quarters of ODT, designated by
President Truman yesterday to run
the seized roads, but little outward
limitations of actual operating
plans.
Everybody is waiting for pm.
to see what happens" an ODT
spokesman told reporters. ct
doesn't look too good now"
1t was learned that the Air Trans
port Command is drawing up tenta-
tive plans for return to the pri-
critics system which governed the
movement of passengers, mail and
cargo over domestic and overseas
airlines during the war.
Ramspeck at Conference.
Officials at the ODT conference
today included former Representa-
tive Robert Ramspeck of Georgia,
now executive. vice president of the
Air Transport Association. Mr..
Ramspeck said prior to the meeting
that the Government had made no
emergency requests of the air trans
port industry.
The airlines were proceeding with
business as usual in an effort to &C
commodate capacity bookings of
ticket and reservation holders, it was
said.
The Army Air Forces has more
than 1000 planes ready for emer-
gency use and w. Y. Blaming, di-
rector of motor carriers for the In
tersteate Commerce Commission, said
(See RAILROADS PaCe AL