Evening star., 1922-05-18
PRESIDENT SEEKS
TO REVIVE TRADE
Farley With Steel Heads To-
/. night Called for That
Purpose.

Hoping to bring about a more gen.
-eral and pronounced stimulation of
production in the so-calied basic COM
modities. President Harding will con-
fer tonight at the White House with
about forty executives of steel COM
panies.
The conference will follow dinner
at the White House, and while no sn-
nouncement has been made as to the
guest list, or the matters TO be dis
cussed, it is understood that trans
portation, freight rates. coal and
reduction in working hours OF steel
employees will be among the principal
topics. '-
Among Those Invited.
Among the prominent steel men
who il is understood have received
invitations to attend this gathering
are: Ebert H. Gary, chairman, ana
James A. Farrell. president, OF the
United States Steel Corporatlon'
Charles. NJ. Schwab, chairman. and EuT
gene G. Grace, president. of the Beth
lehem Steel Corpora ton; Wlliiam =;
Corev chairman of the Midvale steer
company; John A. Topping, cnaIrnah
of the Republic Iron and steer
4 + BLOCK of the Inland steer Com
nanv. !. Leonard Replogle OF the rep
i"gis steel Company: E. j. Bumngtoh'
nresident of the Illinois Steel com
nanv: T T. Lamont. president UI 'r
American Steel Foundry, ana
Lyford of Chicago. raaa
as nrelimiuary to similar session 10
he held at the White House with ran
road executives Saturday nisht' 70
looked upon in certain quarters mere
as another evidence OF the fesiuot -
determination to use the lnnuehcS VI
his Office in bringing. about quicker
revival of business generally ana 10
encourage and increase prouuE.iol'
esnecially of the basic commoui. .ies.
Al the same time it is known tha'
the steel interests are Fltaliy CON
csrned at this time in the settlement
of certain labor difficulties. ana IN
the nossible immediate reduction In
freight rates
Coal Question May Come Up.
The coal question also is expected
to be discussed, at least casually, be-
cause of its close relationship to the
steel industry. However, the coal
matter. it is intimated, will be con-
sidered more extensively at the rail-
road conference to be held Saturday
night.
% Regarding the possible reduction
in the working hours of steel en-
ployes it is known that President
Harding has taken particular IN
terest in the proposals already made
to him to obtain a more general OBJ
servance of the eight-hour working
day operation in the steel industry.
At present the majority of the steel
workers work twelve hours on
stretch, and the President is believed
to desire the Introduction in the steel
industry of three working shirts OF
eight hours each.
MERGER INQUIRY BEGUN.
Daugherty Invites Heads of Firms
to Meet Here Saturday.
Attorney General Daugherty today
invited representative of the eight
steel companies named in the Senate
resolution directing an inquiry into
a proposed merger of independent
companies to meet him Saturday to
discuss their plans for the proposes
merger.
The Attorney General, who with
the Federal Trade Commission was
directed to take cognizance Of the
merger, a portion of which was ef-
fected yesterday, addressed his in
vitations to the presidents of the
Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Inland
Steel and Tube. Brier Hill Steel,
Youngstown Sheet and Tube, Midvale
Steel and Ordnance. Republican Iron
Steel and Tube Company of America.