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AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION
International 

September 27, 1948

TO ALL ALPA MEMBERS

Dear Member:

There isn't too much to report in the National strike situation except that the strike-prosecuting efforts of Headquarters and the National pilots have been stepped up and intensified in every respect. 

The pilots from other airlines are extending far more cooperation to the National pilots in the way of actual physical assistance, in helping the National pilots picket and doing all of the other things that are necessary to end the strike successfully at the earliest possible time. 

On the legal front, respecting the CAB's jurisdiction (CAB Docket 3298) to decide on violations of the labor provisions of the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 (Section 401 (L)), and the provisions of Title II of the Railway Labor Act, a decision is expected daily. It isn't conceivable how this can be delayed beyond this week. The CAB members are, of course, bound by the CAB rules of procedure not to make any comments on when decisions are to be rendered, but the indications are that it will be handed down this week.

Still another important development is that in New York, on September 14, 1948, a stockholders' suit was filed against Baker, charging that National Airlines is in "immediate danger of insolvency" and that its certificate to operate as a scheduled air carrier is in jeopardy. The suit also charges Baker with "gross mismanagement, waste, and deliberate and unlawful breach of duty", as well as "unlawful, deliberate and reckless violation" of the Railway Labor Act and of a decision of the Presidential Emergency Board issued July 9, 1948. It so happens that Baker was in New York the same day the suit was filed, and he was personally served with a court summons.

Baker made a grandiose attempt in Miami, on September 12, 1948, to eulogize one of his strikebreakers - A.L. Johnson -- who recently won one of the races at the National Air Races in Cleveland, because, we are told, all of the faster planes were forced out of the race due to mechanical difficulties. The celebration in Miami was reported on by ALPA's First Vice President Jerry Wood as follows in a wire dated September 13, to Headquarters:

"WELCOME OF HERO JOHNSON BIG SUCCESS??? HAD PICKET LINE ONE HALF MILE LONG WITH AS MANY AS 200 PILOTS AT TIMES. NEVER MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE INSIDE AT CEREMONY AT ANY TIME. GAVE OUT THOUSANdS OF PIECES OF LITERATURE WHICH WERE WELL RECIEVED. NO SERIOUS INCIDENTS BUT STANDING BY FOR COUNTER MOVES."

On Sunday, September 19, in New York, Baker typically attempted to repeat the performance of eulogizing strikebreaker Johnson, but with even less success.This was on the occasion of National's beginning operations from Idlewild Airport. No other domestic carriers field because of lease and landing fee difficulty they are having with the City of New York Port Authority, which the domestic air lines are trying to have straightened out before any one uses this airport as a regular terminal. Baker again followed his typical business methods, agreed to operate from Idlewild and attempted to celebrate the occassion lat Sunday. A wire received at Headquarters on Monday, September 20, from the National pilots in New York reports on this "floperoo" as follows: