Evening star., 1949-07-16
Last Whitney Defense
OF Rail Strike Stand
Was Published Today
BY the Associoted Press

BY the Assecioted Press
NEW YORK, July Is. A. F.
Whitney, railroad labor leader. in
a letter published today in the
New York Times. defended his
action in once calling on his union
to defeat President Truman.
Mr. Whitney, who died early to-
day of a heart attack. wrote his
letter in reply to Times editorial
which accused Mr.. Whitney of
"dictatorial habit of mind" In
fighting those who opposed his
views.
In his letter to the Times the
president of the Brotherhood OF
Railroad Trainmen said:
Does the New York Times really
believe that a free American cit
izen is wrong in calling for the
defeat at the polls of some public
servants with whose policies he
disagrees? Is that evidence OF an
intolerance toward other mems
views?"
The Times editorial on July 5
discussed the railway strike Of
1916. 1t said Mr.. Whitney and
Alvanley Johnston, grand chief OF
the Brotherhood Of Locomotive
Engineers. pulled their men of
the Jobs, precipitattng the gravest
transportation crisis in the Ma
tion's history"
Says Action Was Reluctant.
"Only when the President went
over the heads to the workers
themselves" the editorial said,
"and when he threatened to run
the trains with the help of the
Army did these union chiefs re-
luctantly reconsider their action
and authorize their men to re-
turn"
" Mr.. Whitney's reaction
was typical of a dictatorial habit
of mind. Mr.. Truman had pre-
vented him from having his own
way; therefore. Mr.. Truman had
to 60. The head of the trainmen
promptly announced that he
would use the entire resources of
his organization, estimated then
at $47.000.00o, to defeat the Pres
dent for reelection"
The Times editorial said the
Whitney action that time was
similar to his recent call for a
purge" of the Senate. which Mr..
Whitney charged had broken
faith with democracy and followed
in the goosestep of fascism."
Says He Did Unions Bidding.
In his reply Mr.. Whitney said.
This attempt to prove me in
tolerant OF other mems views re-
quired your editorial writer to
go back three years in a vain
search for evidence"
Mr.. Whitney said he and Mr..
Johnston in 1946 did not pull
their men off their jobs They
only did the bidding of 350,000
railroad workers. who voted al
most unanimously to strike. No
one went over our heads as your
editorial states. Our peaceful
withdrawal from service was due
to the obstinate refusal of man.
agement to settle our grievances
by the democratic processes Of
collective bargaining.
/ Mr.. Whitney said that "of
course, your editorial writer would
not be fair enough" to report that
all railroad workers received sub
stantial increases as q result Of
the strike.
Times Makes Reply.
The Times, in an editors note
following the letter. agreed that
citizen is entitled to call for the
defeat of public servants with
whom he disagress, but it added:
THAT. however, is quite an
other thing from declaring that
because Congress isn't prepared
to do the bidding of given eco
nomic and political group. 1t has
broken faith with democracy and
followed in the goosestep OF Nazi-
ism and fascism.'
The Times said calling for de-
feat of public official also was
quite q different thing" from
threatening to employ the entire
financial resources of a union to
defeat a President whose only
offense" was seeking to protect
the health, safety and lives" OF
the people.
The Times reiterated its conten-
ton that the President went over
the heads of the union leaders in
hating the strike, recalling his
radio appeal to the Nation after
the union refused to abide by
recommendation of fact-flnding
board.
Mr.. Whitney and the President
patched up their differences
shortly after the 1946 rift, and
the railroad labor leader was one
of labor's outstanding supporters
of President Truman In the 1948
campaign.
p