Statement by the President on the Longshoremen's Strike.

THIS IS the 24th day of virtually complete shutdown of all Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports resulting from the strike by the International Longshoremen's Association.

This shutdown is doing intolerable injury to the national welfare. Hundreds of ships are immobilized. Over 100,000 longshore and maritime workers are idle. Economic losses to the Nation are running at a rate of millions of dollars a day. Serious damage is being done the United States dollar balance. Vital foreign aid and relief shipments are blocked. The lifeline between Puerto Rico and the mainline has been cut; and commerce imperative to the economic wellbeing of the free world is disrupted.

All statutory procedures have been exhausted in this case. The present strike started on December 23, 1962, with the ending of the So-day injunction period provided for in the Labor-Management Relations Act. Intensive mediation since that time by the Secretary of Labor and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has been unavailing.

The point of public toleration of this situation has been passed. If this case cannot be settled by private action, then further public action is required.

I am accordingly establishing today a Special Board composed of three men with distinguished experience in industrial relations: Wayne Morse, Chairman, James J. Healy, and Theodore Kheel. I am charging the Board with the responsibility of making a necessarily quick and summary investigation and review of this controversy, and the prospects for its prompt settlement without further injury to the public interest, reporting to me no later than January 21, 5 days from today.

This Board will ask representatives of the parties to meet with them. If it can assist them, by mediation or recommendation, to reach an agreement consistent with their mutual interests and the public interest, this will constitute the most satisfactory disposition of this case.

If such an agreement is not reached, I am asking the Board to recommend a procedure which will assure an immediate resumption of operations at these ports and a settlement of this dispute on a basis and by a procedure limited to the circumstances of this particular situation.

Following receipt of the Board's recommendations, I shall report to the Congress under section 210 of the Labor-Management Relations Act, which requires in situations such as this a report by the President to the Congress, including "such recommendations as (the President) may see fit to make for consideration and appropriate action."

I call upon the parties to this dispute to exercise their responsibilities, not only as representatives of the private interests involved in this controversy, but also as stewards of the essential institution of free collective bargaining.