Evening star., 1934-05-31

NSOIlIlluCO lOIll ~ oO 1 d6CJ
night a general strike would be called
in mid-June unless its members win
the right to choose spokesmen freely
for collective bargaining.
The union leaders. who contend the
collective bargaining guarantee IN II.
r. A. has been violated by employers,
asked:
'Is the American Iron and Steel
Institute more powerful than the
President of the United States?"
Tighe and other steel union lead
ers claim steel operators have vio-
act by refusing to recognize their
union for collective bargaining.
The steel group which called on
Chairman Wagner included Forbeck,
leader of the unions Rank and File
Committee; William J. Spang, presi-
dent of the Duquesne, Pa, union dis
trict, and Clarence Irwin of Youngs-
town, Ohio. They told reporters
while they waited that the one hope
of averting trouble lay in having
President Roosevelt bring the leaders
of the steel industry to Washington
for a conference that would adjust
their demand for recognition"
They said they did not expect any
results from current conferences with
the National Labor Board and
n. r. A. and expressed extreme bit
terness over the failure of these
agencies and the President to help
them up to row.
OF Gen. Johnson, Forbeck said:
That big windbag has caused us
all the trouble we are in. The only
thing johnson ever did was to ball
things up"
Johnson's request for the confer
ence with Thomas F. Mcmahon, presi-
dent of the United Textile Workers,
was expected. The N. R. A. head.
the Cotton Textile Code Author
ity, Robert Bruere. chairman of the
Cotton Textile Industrial Relations
Board. and union officials had been
scheduled to meet tomorrow in an
effort to avert the walkout.
The textile union strike order fol-
lowed bitter protests against the N.
r. A. oroer curtailing production in
the cotton textile industry. The
union chieftains assert the order
would result in corresponding wage
reduction of Is per cent and would
bring the minimum wage in the South
from $l2 to SO weekly.
The issue at stake" Mcmahon said,
apparently is whether the workers
are willing to accept Is per cent
wage reduction. The answer, based on
kilograms from our workers in both
the North and the South, is an en-
phatic no."
He asserted the strike call would
not be rescinded unless the production
curtailment order was revoked.
Johnson, in permitting mills to cut
production for IL weeks during the
Summer, cited increases in unsolo
stocks and decreases in untitled orders
He ordered weekly reports to be made
to him in determining whether the
curtailment order should be rescinded.
Textile union leaders called the
order the straw that breaks the
camel's back" They also stressed a
demand for 30-hour week with no
cut in wages.
In the steel dispute a promise by
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT 10 QOlQ elecClOnS
for collective bargaining in the mills
, did not halt the union drive for a
showdown. The union statement, is
sued by rank and file" leaders, criti-
cized the revised steel code signed by
President Roosevelt yesterday.
Examination of these changes
shows that nothing material has been
gained by the workers." the statement
said. I'VE asked for the 30-hour week
in order to relieve the terrible ravages
of unemployment among employees OF
the steel industry. That has been
rejected"
1t said that in view of the Weirton
Steel Co. case, the proposal to hold
elections has been proved groundless
Just SO much bunk" President Roose-
welt. the statement added, has been
unable Ito enforce elections, which
he could have done had he been more
stringent