The Nome Nugget

THE NOME NUGGET

Organized Labor
C.
Reconsiders Stand
On Trainship

SEATTLE (AP) - Organized labor is reconsidering its stand against operation of the trainship City of New Orleans between Seattle and Alaska.

U.S. Reps. Thomas Pelly and Thor Tollefson met with labor leaders to urge them to support the trainship as Sen. Warren Magnuson also phoned to urge organized labor to reverse its stand.

After the meeting M. E. McLaren, secretary of the Seattle Metal Trades Council, said union representatives will study the case carefully.

The Alaska Steamship Co. Took an option on the self-car trainship last spring. However, the ship was built in Japan, and an act of Congress was required to permit it to carry cargo between two U.S. ports. Such a bill was introduced, but it was buried in committee.

Sens. Magnuson and E. L. Bartlett plan to introduce the bill again at the next session. Labor backing will be an important element in the bill's success.

Labor fought the last bill because it permitted a foreign-built vessel to trade between U.S. ports.

However, after the meeting McLaren said:

"We've begun to wonder if we're not doing ourselves more harm than good by opposing this ship."

The City of New Orleans would give the Alaska Steamship Co. a fast, modern ship to handle cargo through Seattle, McLaren said.

Without the ship, this country may not be able to compete effectively with shipment of American cargoes to Alaska via Canadian ports.

Other labor leaders have asked McLaren to represent them in investigating the issue.