Evening star., 1950-07-03
|SWiichmen Question
If Emergency Exists,
Refuse 10 End Strike
BY she Assoeiuted Press

mems Union Of North America re-
fused yesterday Government |
plea to call of its strike against |
five Western and Midwestern
railroads.
At the same time. it served no.
tice that the strike will end only
if the nation becomes involved in
war or President Truman should
declare some other national emer-
gency exists. It offered, however,
to help in movement over the
struck lines of any shipments the
Government should deem essen
tial to the national economy.
The statement. was In reply to
the request made of the union
Saturday by John Thad Scott, jr.,
chairman Of the national trail-
way) Mediation Board.
Four Lines Tied Up.
In his request, Mr.. Scott asked
the switchmen to so back to their
jobs lin the national interest" be-
cause of what he called current
lcritical developments arising
from the fighting In Korea.
The union reply questioned
whether national emergency
now exists.
| The walkout OF 1000 switchmen
June rs has left four of the fiveI
railroads completely tied up since
then. The fifth line. the Great
Northern has been forced to cur
ltail operations. Thousands of
lshopcraft. Office. and other workers
have been laid of by the lines
since the strike was called.
In addition to the Great North
lern, the struck railroads are the
Chicago. Rock Island and Pacific,
the Chicago Great Western. the
Western Pacific. and the Denver
and Rio Grande Western.
The switchmen walked out in
support Of their demand for a 40
hour week at 48 hours pay. They
rejected a presidential fact-find-
ing boards recommendation that
they accept the 40-nour week with
q pay boost OF l8 cents an hour.
Move Up to Railroads.
A spokesman said yesterday the
next move Is up to the railroads
or mediation board and added that
neither had made more than
small effort" to settle the strike.
We've done all we can" he said.
The union said it has made
major concession" during nego-
tiations in an effort to compromise
the differences and accused the
railroads of merely waiting for
the Government to crack down on
a union and pull the carriers of
the hook"
The statement did not give de-
tails Of the concessions beyond
saying that the union had offered
many times" to help move any
equipment or materials 'con-
sidered by the Government to be
essential to the national econ
omy."
It added that the railroads have
failed to meet with the union
since the strike began, have re-
jected the unions compromise Of
fers, and have made none Of their
own. 6 9a
Mr.. Scott said In Washington
that he was disappointed" at the
unions reply but that the me- iia-
tion board will continue to use
every effort to resolve the dis
pute." He said he would return
to Chicago early this week to try
again for settlement.
Morse Asks Truman Action
! To End Western Rail Strike
I BY the Associated Press
Senator Morse. Republican. of
Oregon said today President Tru-.
man should take Immediately
whatever steps are necessary to
end the railway switcf1men's strike
because we are at war"
Commenting at a Senate Labor
subcommittee hearing. Senator
Morse said there is mo justifica-
ton" for continuance of the week
old strike of the AFL Switchmen's
Union against i've Midwestern and
Western railroads.
The Senate group is holding
hearings on a bill which would
outlaw railroad strikes and re-
quire arbitration of disputes In
the industrys
Senator Donnell. Republican, of
Missouri. sponsor of the anti
strike bill. called for prompt ac-
tion on the measure "in the inter-
est and welfare of o1r country"
But Senator Ebert Thomas,
Democrat. of Utah. the sub
committee chairman, counseled
against "hasty action"
1