Radio and Television Statement Announcing a Moratorium in the Railroad Labor Dispute.

[ Broadcast from the fish Room at the White House at 11:05 p.m. ]

SECRETARY Wirtz, Secretary Reynolds, and I have just concluded a 4-hour meeting with the representatives of the railroad management and the railroad brotherhoods.

Both sides have agreed to postpone any action for 15 days while we seek to resolve the issues between them.

Railroad service to the American public will continue during this 15-day period. Negotiations will resume at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning in the Cabinet Room of the White House. Additional negotiators will join the conference.

Both management and the brotherhoods have tonight acted in the public interest. They responded as Americans to the request of their President, and they have done what is best for our country.

The entire Nation is grateful for the patriotic attitude of both the carriers and the brotherhoods.

Mr. Johnston, the President of the Illinois Central, do you have a statement?

Wayne Johnston, President, Illinois Central Railroad: Speaking on behalf of the Nation's railroads, I congratulate President Johnson on his statesmanlike approach to this dispute. The carriers, maintaining their record of putting the public interest foremost, have accepted the President's proposal to avoid a national strike in the featherbedding dispute.

We pledge ourselves to continue efforts to reach a fair settlement in the national interest.

THE PRESIDENT. NOW We have Mr. Roy Davidson of the engineers who cooperated with us in reaching this agreement this evening.

Roy Davidson, Grand Chief Engineer, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers: Mr. President, we are sending this wire out to all of our officers and general chairmen on behalf of the five organizations involved in this dispute. I quote the wire:

"At the urgent request of the President of the United States for an opportunity to work out the national rules dispute, we have agreed to suspend the strike action on the Illinois Central Railroad for a 15-day period. The carriers have agreed to withdraw their promulgations scheduled to become effective at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 10--the 15-day period to begin 12:01 a.m. on April 10."

I want to congratulate the President on his diligent efforts.

THE PRESIDENT. So We appeal to the railroad officials throughout the land and to all the members of the railroad brotherhoods to act in accordance with this agreement and in the best of faith, and we pledge our efforts to do our dead level best to work out an agreement that will be in the public interest and satisfactory to all.