Labor unionists who are attracted by the device of Government seizure of industry last week had a bitter object lesson to ponder.
In August 1950, the President seized the nation's railroads to prevent a strike. Four months later, the policy boards of the four brotherhoods involvedthe trainmen, conductors, engineers and firemenrejected a settlement proposed by Presidential Assistant John R. Steelman. Truman accused the union officials of acting like a bunch of Russians. He stayed mad.
The trainmen settled a year ago, but the other three unions held out until last week. What they agreed to (increases from 22½¢ to 37¢...