Show t Truman Brings Unions Rails To 10 Strike Meet Meef t j S Roads Brotherhoods to t Joint S Session t i Seen as Hopeful Sign WASHINGTON May 8 UP JP- JP The White House Sat Saturday u r day brought both sides in the tile railroad dispute together in joint negotiations to try and avert a paralyzing Tuesday Dr John R. R Steelman tI al assistant and labor expert called the joint meeting into ses- ses ion pion at pm p.m. There was no immediate word that any progress had been made toward a settlement of the dispute fever over er wages and working condi condi- tlona Rail FRail Brotherhoods Send Code to Membership CLEVELAND T l Ja May 8 P- P Headquarters of the thc engineers' engineers and firemen's brotherhoods said the they had supplied code I. I words nords to their local lodges In con connection conn with the strike called for Tuesday it- it The code indicates the auK aur authe au- au K r the of oC any new ne' j. j sent by telegraph such 1 as a postponement or an end endi i to the strike Present Instructions Instructions are for lor the men to start k their walkout at 6 am a.m. local 4 standard time In each cach time zone tone r 3 l But the very ery fact that spokes spokes- men inen for the railroads and the three rail rall brotherhoods involved were across the table from one another was considered a hopeful Steelman spent more than two hours during the morning with four spokesmen for railroad oper oper- There was no announcement announce announce- ment blent ent as to progress if it any inese in these ese talks The rail officials upon leaving the morning talks appeared cheer- cheer rut ruL They referred any questions as Is s to progress to the White House ne commented commented- th that that there just int t anything to say l' l f House Speaker Martin told reporters re reporters re- re porters meanwhile he doesn't think there there- will be a rail strike He Re e said He is confident of a settlement set- set before the deadline Mar Martin declined to say whether he the has ha any Inside information or expressed only a personal view It was Martin MarUn who helped work york workout out lout Outa a a deal which led to settling the recent recent coal walkout He indicated that this time he is not s stepping epping In tin as a med mediator ator The strike of engineers 1 and land and switchmen is set t for Tuesday morning If It it takes takes' place as scheduled the naIon na- na Ion trains will stop running Remains Hopeful Charles G G. Ross presidential told reporters t o The president remains always hopeful that a settlement can be reached Beached He denied reports that President Truman plans to ask a day 20 tVile postponement and arid said he could not comment Com on whether Steelman has any specific settlement settle settle- ment proposal to make t I Informants had reported that the ie day 20 delay might be asked If no agreement is reached by the May fay 11 ii deadline between the railroads railroads rail- rail roads oads and three labor unions in their heir six old dispute G Government seizure of the railroads railroads rail- rail roads oads was expected only oily if everythIng every every- thing else eIse failed j As settlement efforts continued ix lx railroads imposed embargo orders on foods poultry and live- live tock At t least 54 other lines planned banned l ed the same step to avoid of ot strike-stranded strike cargo Could Use Injunction With the industry under federal control the government could for a court injunction to stop toe the e threatened strike It did that li 1946 to stop a coal strike called by t y John L. L Lewis But seizure still would leave lea Mr Truman uman with the problem of an unsettled labor dispute That would ouId have to be solved before the Industry could be turned back to its Ita owners r r On this score there the was a pos- pos that that If the seizure occurs Mr fr r r. r Truman might call back a act finding board headed by Willam ViI Wil- lam aIU E. E Leiserson to clarify its recent report The board recommended a 15 c hourly o pay boost boest for the three involved the involved the Brotherhoods f Locomotive Engineers Firemen d J and Switchmen That ATiat waa was the same pay raise ac ac- ac- ac last fall by 17 other rail Brotherhoods but the three refused it t t a as inadequate j. j However a number of proposed hanges anges in rail operating rules deSco deSee de- de See Page 2 Column 5 It RAILROADS RAI Continued from Page 1 sired by the three brotherhoods brotherhood were discussed in Leiser Leiserson's ons on's re re- re port Want ant ant and TIme and These included 1 Ume time and and a- a half pay for tor workers for Sunday and holiday work they get straight time pay now and 2 pay for time spent on the job before before before be be- fore and after train runs they get paid now only for time spent on the run It was as indicated that these or other rules changes could be the basis for fora a settlement It was wac hardly hardly hardly hard hard- ly expected that the industry's wage increase pattern would b be disturbed If a strike takes place army and civilian planes may be used to deliver the mails A rail shutdown wn also would cripple cripple crip crip- pie coal production John D. D Battie Battle Battle Bat Bat- tle tie executive secretary of the National National National Na Na- Coal said lack of coal cars would close the mines almost immediately The mines closed for weeks by the recent coal strike were reopened only three weeks ago Citrus Industry Feels Rail Freight Embargo LAKELAND Fla Ma May 8 UP P- P The big Florida citrus Industry felt the first crippling effects Saturday Saturday Saturday Sat Sat- of t the rail freight embargo The embargo o which began at midnight Friday threw thousands of workers out of oC jobs Hardest hit was the fresh fruit phase of the industry Fresh fru fruit t shipping practically was at a standstill because the bulk bulle of fruit moved from Florida goes by rail Canning operations were not hurt at once but lack of can supplies usually in by rail could hurt that business |