Evening star., 1934-01-12
PRESIDENT STUDIES.
N. R. A. ENFORCING
Conference With Attorney
General and Others Result
of Weirton Situation. =
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt began a study to-
day of the enforcement problem OF the
N. r. A.. brought to head by the
protested union election in the Weirton
steel mills.
A broad policy dealing with the COM
pliance features of the National Recov-
cry Administration was canvasSed in 9
conference with Attorney General Cum
mings. Secretary of Labor Perkins. Hugh
8. johnson. industrial administrator
and Senator Wagner, chairman OF the
National Labor Board.
The conferees offered no comment
and further meetings were in prospect
Weirton Inquiry Reported.
James Fly, special agent Of the De-
partment of Justice, joined the White
House conference and reported on his
investigation Of the Weirton case.
A group. of workers in the Weirton
Mills protested against the conditions
of their election Of representatives to
deal with company of1icials on wages
and working conditions.
The company ignored the recon-
mendations of the National Labor
Board and declined to change the con-
| ditions OF the election
| Just what the Government intends to
do about it was up for discussion today
and apparently final decision was still
to be made.
]. Department of Justice agents who in
veStigated the election have collected
more than 200 affidavits. and Fly is now
checking over these with the witnesses
Compliance Action Indicated.
| Hugh 8. johnson indicated today the
| Weirton dispute may be handled by
the compliance division before any
| court action is taken.
The Weirton concern, a branch OF
National Steel, refused Labor Board
supervision Of an election among its
employees and insisted upon having a
| company union choose the delegates
| for collective bargaining.
Senator Wagner, the Labor Board
chairman, asked for legal action. insist
| ing this was q violation of an agree
ment which Ernest T. Weir. head of the
company had entered into when the
board arranged to end q. strike of union
employees at the Weirton plants.
johnson, at the time Weir blocked
the Labor Board election, telegraphed
that he would have the compliance
board consider withdrawal of the Blue
Eagle and suspension Of the firm from
code privileges.
Objection by Wagner.
Senator Wagner, however, objected at
the time and the plan was dropped
Since then the Labor Board has agreed
to turn over all cases in which 1t fails
to obtain an agreement by conciliation
to N. r. AS disciplinary board.
This procedure was started yesterday
| in the case OF the E. @. Budd Manu-
| featuring Co. of PHILADELPHIA. similar
to that OF Wierton Steel.
II the procedure is decided upon, as
johnson indicated, all early nearing
Is in prospect to determine whether
Weir actually violated the steel code.
Court action, II necessary. would be
taken after the hearing.
The Labor Board yesterday sent to
Mr.. Davis its request for action against
| the Budd company, which was charged
with violation of the industrial law and
| the automobile code because Of its re-
! lection OF an arbitration effort involv-
ing an impartial election among its
striking employees.
Labor Demands Reprisal.
The Labor Board yesterday made Its
first refusal Of labor demands. In an
/ arbitration case between union workers
and the Oklahoma City Street Rail-
way Co., 1t turned down for the time
being, q demand of the employees fol-
higher pay. 1t ruled that pay raises
were not possible in the company
present financial condition and with
cut-throat taxi competition slashins
| into the street car business volume
| However, the board branded the wages
now. paid by the street railway as "un-
usually low"