Students Now to Face Strike by Rail Porters

The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters has broken off negotiations with the nation's railroads and called a strike for next Friday, a reliable source told the Associated Press last night.

The dispute poses a new threat to Harvard and Radcliffe students already faced with the chance of being stranded by possible strike against United Airlines or by bad weather which could close Logan Airport. It involves 4,000 porters who work for the Pullman Car Co., owned by 53 railroads, and several other railroads which have their, own sleeping cars. A strike by this one union would virtually end rail travel in the U.S.

The porters have been free since Dec. 2 to strike without any interference possible under the Railway Labor Act.