GLOOMY COMMENT BY LEADERS OF STRIKERS

Chronicle (Levin), 27 May 1946, Page 8

GLOOMY COMMENT BY LEADERS OF STRIKERS

Received Sunday, 7 p.m. NEW YORK, May 25. | Witliin an hour of the settlement, j freight and passenger trains which had , been halted 48 hours hegan moving and it is expected that hy Sunday all the services will he hack to normal. The almost complete cessation of railway transport had already hrought unparalleled confusion throughout America and piits pyramiding effects on the nation 's industrial, agricultural, commercial and social life which were hecoming critically intensified with each hour the strike was prolonged. The striking engineers' president, Mr. A. F. Whitney, gloomily commented: "We have lost our case. We took this course in the interests of the public, realising a strike could not he continued indfefinitely hecause of the need for food and many other provisions and essentials to our economy." He said ihe hrotherliood regarded President Trunian's hroadcast as a condemnation unfair to the strikers. Ninetyeight pSr cfeht. of hundreds of teiegrams thfe hfotherhood had received, had expressed confiderice in the strikers' leadership.

Mr. P. O. Peterson, chairman of the Soitthern Pacific Engineers, dOclared: "The President haS hetrayed Ameriean lahour." Under virthally imprecedented procedure wherehy the regular riiles were suspended, the House of RepreSehtatives responded wiih excdptiortal spfeOd to President Trunian's appeal for Ugislation entitling the President to drdft men for industry aiid penalise stfikefs against the Government, and passed the Bill exactly as framed hy 306 to 13 votes. Immediately after the collapss of the strike, the Government hdgan dropping emergency prep'aratioiis aiid rdstrictions. Emergency troop rtlo^enients by air, including 3000 to Chicago, Were immediately cancelled. The mail embargo was lifted and transport Cohtuols removed. Despite the settlement, many cities will he faced with a shortage of meat and vegetables. Tlie United Ndtions Coinniittefe for Refugees has dec'iflecl to reeoniindnd to United Natioiis that the p'rohleih of displaced persons in Europe should he handled bv a apecialised agency. The committee proposes that the agericy should. retuin as mariy refugees as possible to s their homes, persuade and assist others to join ffieiids aiid relativfes, train tlie friendldSs to establisli tliemselves in neighbouring countrie^

and organise for the remainder mass settlement in areas outside Europe..