ACTION TAKEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1943, Page 2

ACTION TAKEN

BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AGAINST RAILWAY STRIKE THREAT SEIZURE OF LINES ORDERED. STEEL STRIKE CALLED OFF (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) WASHINGTON. December 27. President Roosevelt has ordered the Secretary of War, Mr Stimson, to seize all railroads mmediately. The order called for Government possession and control of all railroad companies and affiliated companies in the nation, and also authorised Mr Stimson to seize all or any part of any transportation system, includng subways, when deemed necessary. In a simultaneous statement Mr Roosevelt ruled a five cents an hour wage increase in lieu of claims for time and a half overtime pay, also vacation annually. He added that the seizure was necessary to ensure the movement of troops, war materials and other essential transport. He explained that the major military offensives now _ planned must not be delayed by the .interruption of vital transportation facilities. If any railroad employees now strike they will be striking against the Government of the United States. White House in an explanatory statement said that though 15 nonoperating unions rescinded the strike orders today, strike orders for locomotive firemen, the enginemen’s union, the conductors’ union and the switchmen’s union were still in force. Mr Roosevelt when signing the seizure order said of the railroad strike of the throe brotherhoods ordered for Thursday: “I cannot wait till the last moment to take action to ensure that supplies for the fighting men are not interrupted. I am accordingly obliged to take temporary possession of the railroads.”

The headquarters of the United Steelworkers’ Union (C. 1.0. and War Labour Board maintained silence about Mr Roosevelt’s plea for speeding the settlement of the contract controversy. While the railway strike has been averted, the situation in the steel industry has become more serious. Scores of war plants in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and New York failed to reopen after the Christmas holiday, and 1,135,000 steel workers remained idle because the contract between the union and 214 companies employing 350,000 men had lapsed. Pickets carried signs reading, “No contract, no strike."

Mr Stimson appointed General Somervell Controller of Railroads in conformity with Mr Roosevelt's seizure order.

Mr Philip Murray, president of the C. 1.0., called off the steel strike, a later message states, as the War Labour Board guaranteed that the wage increases resulting from the negotiations will be retrospective to the expiration date of the old contracts. FULL PRODUCTION EXPECTED SOON IN STEEL PLANTS. RAILWAYS BEING OPERATED NORMALLY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) RUGBY, December 28. A Washington message reports that United States steel workers have returned to the plants and that full pro-

duction in many places is expected to be resumed today. At the Republic Steel plant, the night shift resumed work last night and most of the day shift are working today at South Chicago. Normal crews are reported jn the Pittsburgh district. Railways are being operated normally throughout the United States, with specially designated officers assuming chorge ‘bn behalf of the Government.