Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
This executive order, signed by President Harry S Truman on 1948-06-03, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Creating a Board of Inquiry to Report on Certain Labor Disputes Affecting the Maritime Industry of the United States." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.
Constitutional Assessment: This action represents an orderly exercise of Article II administrative discretion, managing the internal machinery and personnel of the executive branch without abridging the ancient liberties of the people.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
▪The Board shall have powers and duties as set forth in Title II of the said Act.
▪The Board shall report to the President in accordance with the provisions of section 206 of the said Act on or before June 11, 1948.
▪Upon the submission of its report, the Board shall continue in existence to perform such other functions as may be required under the said Act, until the Board is terminated by the President.
Exec. Order No. 9964, Harry S Truman (Jun 3, 1948). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-9964-creating-board-inquiry-report-certain-labor-disputes-affecting-the.
Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
WHEREAS there exist certain labor disputes (a) on the Pacific Coast of the United States between the employers, ship owners, or operators who are represented in collective bargaining conferences by the Waterfront Employers' Association of he pacific Coast, the Pacific American Shipowners' Association or the Shipowners' Association of the Pacific, and certain of their employees represented by the International longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (CIO), the National Marine Engineers Beneficial Association (CIO), the National Union of Marine Cooks and Stewards (CIO), the American Radio Association (CIO), or the Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders, and Wipers Association (Ind.); (b) on the East and Gulf Coasts of the United States between ship owners or operators who are represented in collective bargaining conferences by the Committee for Companies and Agents, Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, and various other ship owners and operators not so represented, and certain of their employees represented by the National Maritime Union of America (CIO), the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association (CIO), and the American Radio Association (CIO); and (c) on the Great Lakes and connecting waters between the ship owners or operators whose names are set forth on the list attached hereto and hereby made a part hereof, and certain of their employees represented by the national Maritime Union of America (CIO); and WHEREAS in my opinion such disputes threaten to result in strikes or lockouts affecting a substantial part of the maritime industry, an industry engaged in trade, commerce, transportation, transmission, or communication among the several States and with foreign nations, which strikes or lockouts, if permitted to occur, will imperil the national health and safety: NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 206 of the labor-Management Relations Act, 1947 (Public Law 101, 80th Congress), I hereby create a Board of Inquiry, consisting of such members as I shall appoint, to inquire into the issues involved in such disputes. The Board shall have powers and duties as set forth in Title II of the said Act. The Board shall report to the President in accordance with the provisions of section 206 of the said Act on or before June 11, 1948. Upon the submission of its report, the Board shall continue in existence to perform such other functions as may be required under the said Act, until the Board is terminated by the President. LIST Interstate Steamship Company Bethlehem Transportation Corporation Cleveland Tankers Great Lakes Transportation Company Johnson Transportation Company Nicholson Transit Company Ford Motor Company Standard Oil Company of Indiana Brown and Shasta Steamship Company Inland Steel Company International Harvester Company Texas Oil Company Lake Tankers HARRY S. TRUMAN THE WHITE HOUSE, June 3, 1948