Executive Order 9971—Creating an Emergency Board to Investigate Disputes Between Certain Transportation Systems Operated by the Secretary of the Army and Certain Workers

WHEREAS disputes exist between the Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company, Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company, Wabash Railroad Company, and the Ann Arbor Railroad Company, carriers under Federal management, and certain workers represented by the national Maritime Union of America, a labor organization; and

WHEREAS by Executive Order No. 9957 of May 10, 1948, possession, control, and operation of the transportation systems owned or operated by the said carriers, together with the transportation systems owned or operated by certain other carriers, were assumed by the President, through the Secretary of the Army; and

WHEREAS the said disputes have not heretofore been adjusted under the provisions of the Railway Labor Act, as amended; and

WHEREAS these disputes threaten, in the judgment of the National Mediation Board, substantially to interrupt interstate commerce within the State of Michigan to a degree such as to deprive that portion of the country of essential transportation service, and also threaten to interfere with the operation by the Secretary of the Army of transportation systems taken pursuant to the said Executive Order No. 9957

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 10 of the Railway Labor Act as amended (45 U.S.C. 160), and subject to the provisions of that section, I hereby create a board of three members, to be appointed by me, to investigate the said disputes. Nothing in this order shall be construed to derogate from the authority of the Secretary of the Army under the said Executive Order No. 9957.

The Board shall report its findings to the President with respect to the said disputes within thirty days from the date of this order.

HARRY S. TRUMAN

THE WHITE HOUSE,

June 23, 1948