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demands, but
Johnston and Whitney called a strike of the Engineers and Trainmen to start on 16 March 1946. President Truman set up a board to hear the grievances and make recommendations. Negotiations broke down in April, and Whitney and Johnston set 18 May 1946 as the strike date. Whitney's union represented 211,000 trainmen and Johnston represented 78,000 engineers. They could halt all railway traffic nationwide. Truman felt betrayed, writing on 17 May 1946 "Lewis, Whitney, Johnston, Murray and all other labor leaders made me certain promises when I took over. They all lied to me."
257:
an appeal to the strikers to return to work, saying "It is inconceivable that in our democracy any two men should be placed in a position where they can completely stifle our economy and ultimately destroy our country." He threatened to call out the army to end the strike. On 25 May Truman was addressing
Congress, calling for drastic legislation under which strikers could be drafted into the army, when word came that the strikers had accepted his terms and the strike had ended.
131:. A Department of Labor study of veteran railway employees showed that between July 1929 and April 1933 two thirds reported that their earnings had dropped by at least 20%, and two fifths said earnings had dropped by 30% or more. This did not count workers who had lost their jobs. By the spring of 1933 the national unemployment rate was 25%. However, Whitney and other labor leaders were opposed to Roosevelt's
171:
employment. He called for guarantees that the government would ensure absorptive employment, consult with the unions on any changes and prevent carriers from interfering with labor's right to organize. The
Emergency Railroad Transportation Act of 16 June 1933 essentially met these conditions, and was seen by the union leaders as a great victory.
253:
demanding it." Truman responding by saying that if the labor leaders did not make a settlement within two days he would take over the railroads. The day before the walkout was due Truman seized the railroads by executive order as he had promised. Whitney and
Johnston again agreed to postpone the strike for five days.
252:
Three days before the deadline for the strike, Truman met
Whitney and Johnston in the Oval Office. He told them, "If you think I'm going to sit here and let you tie up this whole country, you're crazy as hell." Whitney apologized but said "We've got to go through with this, Mr. President. Our men are
248:
After the war ended, towards the end of 1945 Whitney and the leaders of the other main railroad unions demanded pay increases and a forty-hour work week from the railroad companies, in line with other industries. Negotiations stalled in
January 1946. Three of the unions were willing to suspend their
256:
However, after hearing Truman's compromise pay offer their members voted to go on strike on 23 May 1946. The strike stranded travelers, prevented movement of perishable goods and caused concern that many people in war-devastated Europe would starve if grain shipments were delayed. Truman broadcast
174:
In
September 1933 Whitney attended a conference in Chicago organized by the League for Independent Political Action, and was one of the signatories to the call for a new political order. It said "We the masses of the people must rise up and win economic and political control. We must organize to
170:
took office in 1933, he appointed a committee to draw up new legislation for the railroads. Their draft included various measures to improve efficiency. On 3 April 1933 Whitney said the plan could throw from 50,000 to 350,000 men out of work, and would violate contracts related to security of
281:
would put the U.S. "one step from Hitler's form of government." After the Taft-Hartley bill was passed despite Truman's veto, on 20 July 1947 Whitney said that Truman's veto of the bill had "vindicated him in the eyes of labor". He ruled out
Wallace, saying a third party was now "out of the
236:'s 1944 campaign for re-election, until it became clear that Roosevelt preferred Truman. He wrote to a colleague on 12 July 1944, "our friend, Jimmy Byrnes ... will not only strengthen the ticket if nominated ... but a man who will fill this high office with dignity." In the
269:
was dismissed from the Truman administration in
September 1946, Whitney was among the labor leaders who considered supporting him as a presidential candidate in the 1948 election. Later, Whitney and most other labor leaders abandoned Wallace as being too far to the left.
138:
Whitney soon became an important public figure, representing the trainmen in many discussions with government and business. During his tenure the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen grew to 215,000 members. From 1932 to 1934 Whitney was chairman of the
282:
question." A spokesman for the Brotherhood said "our Brotherhood will throw all its resources behind President Truman and his Administration in an effort to elect a Congress which will back the President's liberal program."
115:, Ohio. The BRT restricted membership to whites. Whitney joined the Brotherhood in 1898. He was appointed a vice president in 1907. Whitney was elected president of the Brotherhood on 1 July 1928. He succeeded
198:
175:
establish a new social order, a scientifically planned system. We must own and control the means of production and distribution." The Farmer-Labor Political Federation was founded at the conference, headed by
265:
In the immediate aftermath of the May 1946 strike Whitney was reported to have said the Brotherhood would use all of its capital of $ 47 million to defeat Truman if he sought reelection. After
221:
in his 1940 Senate race, putting up most of the money for his campaign. Truman was a long-time friend of Whitney but disliked Johnston, whom he called a "damned Republican." In 1943, during
135:(CCC), a government relief program that provided simple jobs paying $ 1 per day. He said the CCC, "would place Government's endorsement upon poverty at a bare subsistence level."
888:
1323:
194:
144:
147:
stepped down in 1932 to devote more time to his union, and Whitney was elected his successor. In 1932 Whitney was among the labor leaders whom the
140:
99:, and in the years immediately following the war. He was the principal leader of a two-day railroad strike in May 1946 that paralyzed the nation.
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31:
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179:. Despite this radical position, Amlie was strongly opposed to Communism, and communists were not welcome in the federation.
869:
285:
Alexander F. Whitney died of a heart attack on 16 July 1949 at the age of 76. He was succeeded as president of the BRT by
148:
132:
111:. The Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen (BRT) was organized on 23 September 1883, and later moved its headquarters to
190:
108:
116:
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286:
233:
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1004:
Nature's New Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Roots of the American Environmental Movement
193:(ISS) motormen and conductors. At first, LaGuardia said he had no objection. Then it emerged that the
1318:
1313:
151:
was considering endorsing for the position of Secretary of Labor in Roosevelt's government, although
225:(1939-1945), the government seized the railroads. Johnston and Whitney were made labor consultants.
186:
35:
Alexander F. Whitney leaving the White House on 6 July 1938 after a conference with the President.
958:
937:. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library. 2002
1055:
Industrialists in Olive Drab: The Emergency Operation of Private Industries During World War II
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In Transit: The Transport Workers Union in New York City, 1933-1966 : with a New Epilogue
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At times, the BRT came into conflict with other unions. Thus, in 1937 Whitney informed mayor
1244:
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen: With Special Reference to the Life of Alexander F. Whitney
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92:
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30:
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87:(1873 – 16 July 1949) was an American railway worker who became president of the
790:
Henry Wallace's 1948 Presidential Campaign and the Future of Postwar Liberalism
107:
Alexander E. Whitney was born in Iowa in 1873. In 1888 he started to work for
719:
197:
was also thinking of organizing the ISS workers, and that the non-segregated
982:
868:
Ellaby, Donna G. (2006). "Johnston, Alvanley". In Uebelhor, Tracy S. (ed.).
156:
112:
1208:
Strictly Personal and Confidential: The Letters Harry Truman Never Mailed
650:
648:
201:
might be more appropriate given the number of black ISS conductors.
199:
Amalgamated Association of Street Railway and Motor Coach Employees
935:"Guide to the Brotherhood Of Railroad Trainmen Records, 1883-1973"
844:
Conflict and Crisis: The Presidency of Harry S. Truman, 1945-1948
240:
in Chicago in 19–21 July 1944 he threw his weight behind Truman.
182:
In 1935 Whitney was a co-sponsor of the Railroad Retirement Act.
736:
The Turbulent Years: A History of the American Worker, 1933-1941
690:
360:
47:
484:
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of New York City that the BRT planned to start organizing
1151:
The Politics of Upheaval: 1935-1936, The Age of Roosevelt
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came to be favored. In the end the president selected
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91:(BRT). He was an influential labor leader during the
71:
63:
55:
40:
21:
1080:
950:
889:Choosing Truman: The Democratic Convention of 1944
1083:Grand Expectations: The United States, 1945-1974
195:Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen
145:Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen
8:
471:
1268:
1178:History of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
615:
603:
591:
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217:(BLE), often worked together. They backed
29:
18:
1148:Schlesinger, Arthur M. Jr. (2003-07-09).
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579:
459:
447:
435:
423:
411:
375:
273:Whitney was a bitter opponent of Senator
127:Whitney took office at the start of the
1324:Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen people
1007:. Oxford University Press. p. 79.
871:The Truman Years, Presidential Profiles
678:
627:
531:
500:
348:
302:
666:
567:
555:
543:
519:
279:Labor Management Relations Act of 1947
987:The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
387:
141:Railway Labor Executives' Association
7:
957:. Indiana University Press. p.
953:FDR, Dewey, and the Election of 1944
714:. Time Inc. 1949-07-25. p. 38.
691:Guide to the Brotherhood ... Cornell
361:Lee, William Granville: Case Western
333:
316:
1087:. Oxford University Press. p.
1052:Ohly, John Hallowell (April 1999).
238:1944 Democratic National Convention
215:Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
163:, who took office on 5 March 1933.
232:as vice-presidential candidate in
14:
1241:McCaleb, Walter F. (2008-06-01).
989:. Case Western Reserve University
907:Freeman, Joshua Benjamin (2001).
814:Donaldson, Gary A. (2000-07-01).
1286:Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
1211:. University of Missouri Press.
892:. University of Missouri Press.
847:. University of Missouri Press.
820:. University Press of Kentucky.
787:Devine, Thomas W. (2013-05-27).
766:. University of Missouri Press.
760:Daniels, Jonathan (1998-08-01).
733:Bernstein, Irving (2010-07-01).
89:Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
77:Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
1127:. Kent State University Press.
1124:Cleveland: The Making of a City
949:Jordan, David M. (2011-09-02).
1112:"Robertson Quits Labor Post".
1058:. Government Printing Office.
886:Ferrell, Robert (2000-08-04).
874:. New York: Facts On File, Inc
1:
1154:. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
1121:Rose, William Ganson (1950).
1001:Maher, Neil M. (2007-11-06).
1079:Patterson, James T. (1996).
149:American Federation of Labor
143:. David B. Robertson of the
1181:. Purdue University Press.
913:. Temple University Press.
841:Donovan, Robert J. (1996).
708:"Labor Makes More Big News"
133:Civilian Conservation Corps
123:Depression era labor leader
1345:
655:Alexander F. Whitney: LIFE
400:Robertson Quits Labor Post
1329:Trade unionists from Iowa
1292:
1282:
1276:
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191:Independent Subway System
109:Illinois Central Railroad
28:
1247:. Kessinger Publishing.
1175:Stover, John F. (1987).
1037:. Simon & Schuster.
983:"Lee, William Granville"
763:The Man of Independence
1296:William Parker Kennedy
287:William Parker Kennedy
59:16 July 1949 (aged 76)
1279:William Granville Lee
234:Franklin D. Roosevelt
168:Franklin D. Roosevelt
117:William Granville Lee
16:American labor leader
1272:Trade union offices
817:Truman Defeats Dewey
85:Alexander F. Whitney
23:Alexander F. Whitney
1116:. 1 September 1932.
793:. UNC Press Books.
739:. Haymarket Books.
187:Fiorello La Guardia
438:, p. 207-208.
277:, saying that his
1302:
1301:
1293:Succeeded by
1284:President of the
1254:978-1-4366-9398-1
1218:978-0-8262-1258-0
1188:978-1-55753-066-0
1161:978-0-547-52425-2
1134:978-0-87338-428-5
1098:978-0-19-507680-6
1065:978-0-16-067763-2
1044:978-0-7432-6029-9
1029:McCullough, David
1014:978-0-19-988557-2
968:978-0-253-00562-5
920:978-1-59213-815-9
899:978-0-8262-1308-2
854:978-0-8262-1066-1
827:978-0-8131-2851-1
800:978-1-4696-0204-2
773:978-0-8262-1190-3
746:978-1-60846-064-9
211:Alvanley Johnston
177:Thomas Ryum Amlie
82:
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75:President of the
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1290:1928–1949
1277:Preceded by
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213:, leader of the
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153:Daniel J. Tobin
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640:Donaldson 2000
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596:
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580:Patterson 1996
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560:
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548:
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503:, p. 325.
493:
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476:
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464:
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460:Bernstein 2010
452:
450:, p. 208.
448:Bernstein 2010
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436:Bernstein 2010
428:
424:Bernstein 2010
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412:Bernstein 2010
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380:
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376:Bernstein 2010
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338:
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321:
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1319:1949 deaths
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568:Truman 1999
556:Stover 1987
544:Jordan 2011
520:Ellaby 2006
103:Early years
1308:Categories
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293:References
64:Occupation
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317:Ohly 1999
298:Citations
157:Teamsters
113:Cleveland
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