Statement by the President on the Longshoremen's Strike.

I HAVE been informed by Mr. Charles E. Wilson, Director of the Office of Defense Mobilization, that because of the work stoppages by the longshoremen, the ports of New York and Boston have been virtually paralyzed and that equipment and material vitally needed for national defense is not moving. It has already been necessary to impose an embargo on railroad shipments to these ports.

The Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has reported to me that the Service has been unable to bring about a resumption of work and that all mediation efforts have been exhausted.

This work stoppage has a direct and immediate effect on our defense effort. In the national interest, the employees involved in this critical work stoppage should return to work at once.