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To All ALPA Membe

rs - 4   July 22, 1948

The sale or merger possibility appears to be looming stronger than ever in the picture as a result of recent developments.

The decision of the Presidential Emergency Board relative to the ground employees was that all the striking employees must be returned to active employment and that negotiations be resumed between National and the IAM to complete the employment agreements of these employees, which was the high point of their trouble with Baker. The IAM has, in our opinion, demonstrated poor leadership and a lackadaisical attitude in this fight. This soon became evident to ALPA and it was realized that our pattern of action as compared to theirs was so different that it was impossible to expect any effective assistance from this source. Their picketing activities gradually dwindled down to almost nothing due to starvation strike benefits, poor leaderships, injunctions, and the strikers, in most cases, not being given by the IAM the faintest notion of what was being done in their behalf, if anything.

This is an excellent illustration of how certain of these ground employee representing organizations operate - a series of stumblings and blunderings; and, if they win, it's by happenstance more than anything else.

ALPA's efforts in the National strike have been singularly successful and we are grateful. The following was stated in my letter of July 10 to all chairmen, with which was enclosed a copy of the Presidential Board's decision:

"We should all be deeply grateful that the Presidential Emergency Board handed down a good decision and that it is based on the facts in the case and the evidence presented at the hearings. It is traditional with ALPA never to boast about winning a fight. We are glad when we win, and that's that.

"There is much more to all this than appears on the surface, and the value of the good precedents established by this decision for the air line piloting profession and our structure of federal law today and far into the future are so great that they are inestimable; and speaking diametrically, had it been a bad decision, the ill effects would have been so far reaching and harmful that they might never have been completely erased."

We have come a long way in this fight and there is one additional step, which is, of course, the revocation proceedings before the Civil Aeronautics Board. The first hearing respecting this part of the fight is set to take place on July 29. We intend to hew to the line and bring this struggle against one of the most arrogant and unreasonable employers to a successful conclusion at the earliest possible time. In the interim, all picketing and other strike-prosecuting efforts must be continued unabated and intensified. To let up now and rest on our oars would be fatal.

On July 7, I wrote to all ALPA members domiciled at the division points where the National pilots are carrying on picketing activities; namely, New York, Newark, Washington, Jacksonville, Miami, and New Orleans; and established the "GIVE ONE DAY A MONTH TO THE NATIONAL PILOTS ON STRIKE" campaign to assist the National pilots in their picketing and other strike-prosecuting activities. Some of the National strike control points report good response; others do not. We all know the answer - unless we all make up our minds to do it, and do it now, it will never be done. If you are domiciled at a National division point, call in today and get on the "ONE DAY A MONTH" roster. Let's prove we have the stuff it takes to get this job done. We are not playing tiddlywinks. This battle is for keeps and it is against a man whose methods and principles are ruthless. What this actually means is your income, your future, the best interests of your family; in fact, everything, unless you want to quit air line flying. What is needed most now is more realistic personal support for the National