Evening star., 1947-04-13
Phone Strikers
Ready foCarry
Case 10 Truman
Request for Seizure
Possible as Company
Rejects Union PIeu

last night to go directly to Presi-
dent Truman, possibly with a
plea for Government seizure OF
the strike hound telephone sys-
tenn, as Secretary of Labor
Schwellenbach reported COM
pany rejection ora union request
for an industry-wide bargaining
session.
The policy committee of the Ma
tionai Federation of Telephone
Workers was awaiting the. return
Of Federation President Joseph A.
Beir1e from New Jersey late today
before announcing its next move. :,
"We win continue the strike until
a way for settlement is found :
John j. Crull of st. Louis, chairman
of the NFTW's Bargaining Commit
tee, declared here.
Labor Department spokesman said
they expect no early settlement and
look for no news breaks" over the
week end. Secretary Sehwellenbach,
Assistant Secretary John w. Glib
son and Cancellation Director Edgar
L. Warren were continuing "ex-
ploratory discussion" with both
sides, but have arranged no new
the secretary's Office re-
ported.
Seizure is Uncertain.
81 don't know that seizure is
being discussed at this time by Gov
authorities" q Labor De-
partment representative said.
But the possibility of requesting
seizure was reliably reported to be
under increasing study at national
union headquarters here, after de-
livery of 4 letter late yesterday
from Secretary Schellenbach to Mr.
Beirne. This notified the union
chief that the telephone company
could see no benefit to be derived
from a suggested industry-wid
meeting.
This letter was In reply to Mr.
Beirne's request of last Friday that
Mr.. Schwellenbach arrange con-
ference between top officials of the
American Telephone & Telegraph
Co. and the NFTW to explore the
entire situation. Mr.. Beirne urged
also that the meeting be open to
newspapernen.
Mr.. Schwellenbach's letter said:
''The position Of the officials Of
the American Telephone 81 Tele1
graph Co. is that the only unit fol
which that company bargains Is the
Long Lines Division; that the Bar
gaining Committee of the Long
Lines Division has met with the
Bargaining Committee OF the Amer
ican Union of Telephone Workers
and the day before yesterday ar
agreemtnt was negotiated between
the division and the union.
Agreement Rejected.
THAT agreement was rejected by
the Policy Committee Of the Ma.
tional Federation of Telephone
Workers and therefore they see nc
benefit to be derived from the meet.
ing which you suggest"
Secretary Schwellenbach's office
explained this letter was simply
q message" from one party to the
other and that Mr.. Schwellenbacf
expressed no opinion on the issues
involved.
The telephone company state
ment, as transmitted by Secretary
Schwellenbach. reiterated the com.
pany's policy that affiliates bargain
with individual unions rather thar
on an industry wide basis.
When the letter arrived at NFTW
headquarters at 917 G place NV
Mr.. Beirne had left by AUTOMOBILE
for Fairview, NJ. j. An aide salt
the union president was driving hi
family home for the week end bu
planned to return here late today
Beirne Letter Recalled.
In his letter last Friday to th'
Labor Secretary, Mr.. Beirne wrot,
that the union planned to carr.
its complete story to Presiden
Truman IL A. r. 8s T. turned dow
the request for a top-level confer
ence, A union spokesman said las
night this move undoubtedly vii
be discussed by the Policy Commit
tee as soon as Mr.. Beirne returns
Union officials declined to predic