The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-20
STEEL MEN WONDER. WHAT DINNER WITH. HARDING WAS FOR
Suggested Washington That Presidents Talks With Capitalists Was Partly
 For Political Effect

w aSnlngCon, May 1S.-t tSpeclal.J Steel men of the United States, fol- lowing the dinner given in their honor by President Harding last night, spent today in Washington, wondering what it was all about.
 There had come no request from employees to change the basic day from 12 to hours. Operators had made no suggestion to that effect, The president did not urge the change, he simply stated that there seemed to be a national conscience" against a 12-hour day.
 With no hope of result. the con ference came to conclusion just as the conference on unemployment, some months ago. It was freely stated here today that the oommis- sion of five to be raised by Judge E. H. Gary of the United States Steel Corporation. would require six months for thorough Judy of the situation. and at that time would make recommendations, which If adopted. would bring no material change in the situation.
 Steelmasters Go not want the change for, in as much as operatives would insist on present wages. an eight hour day would increase their cost for labor 50 per cent. Opera tiyes, 1t is said. do not want q change becaus. l2houf day broken by stipulated rest periods. does not exhaust their energy and does not permit them to earn large wages.
 Birmingham Represented
 Birmingham. in 'he conference. was represented by George Cord II Crawford of inc Tennessee Coal, Woodward and Frank II. Croekard Of the Woodward Iron company, and James Bowron of the Gulf States Steel company.
 The latter was one of those asked by the President to state his views
 I said to tha President and Sec retaries Hoover and Davis" saio Mir. B1wron today, "all that other spokesmen had said and then made wtat was a new point, Labor It steel mills is paid on the basis of tonnage and with a bonus for ex- cellent results To melt and run off pig iron requires an average of 12 hours, the regular shift period If the shift Is changed to flight hours, crew would leave Tor to the completion of the run. and would naturally be aggrieyed the follow Ing day If the succeeding crew did not complete the work with the ex- celence that was originally prom ised
 There was an apparent desire to act in accordance with the suggestion of the President but by virtue of a lack of complaint on the part of operatives, the suggestion will likely be found to be unfeasible. The Presi- dent did not insist on the change He simply wanted to talk the proposition over"
 Dinner for Railroad Men Mir Bowron displayed great inter- est in the dinner to be served to- morrow night by the President to railroad magnates.
 "The railroads charge us,' he said. more than 100 per cent increase over pre-war rates. whereas we sell ceeding 30 per cent increase over
 
 planation of tie difference point to their inability to reduce the price of labor. The labor board. sitting in Chicago, should be abolished and the interstate commerce commission which fixes rates. permitted likewise to fix wages.
 otherwise. each corporation em- ploying labor should be permitted to deal with labor without interference on the part of outsiders. The cost of labor, like the cost of everything else. must be reduced. It cannot maintain war level when everything else Is tumbling In value"
 It Is the guess of democratic poi- ticians that by his conferences with corporations the President is not un- mindful of the psychological effect to be produced by an impression that he Is endeavoring to eliminate un- living. It Is understood that he will insist that railroads grant certain re- ductions in rates. for he has been in- formed that failure to reduce rates is one of the main complaints lodged by disgruntled voters against the ad . ministration.
 Senator Harry s. New. having re- turned to Washington after his dis- astrons campaign for renomination in Indiana. reported to the President. It is understood that he had. had no conception of the extent of national disaffection against the Washington