Evening star., 1936-07-25
LAB0R-STEEL ROW
GAINS MOMENTUM
Industry Hits and Is Hit.
Senator Holt Calls
Lewis Names.
BY JOHN C, HENRY.

ia u.
Labor and the steel industry were
continuing their battle Of words today
as spokesmen for each Issued conflict.
ing claims and charges. Entering into
the picture also was an executive or.
der from the White House and a per.
sonal blast at John L. Lewis, CHAIR
man of the Committee for Industrial
Organization, coming from Capitol
Hill.
Today's developments follow:
% Philip Murray, chairman of the
organizing drive being conducted in the
steel industry by the c. I. O, charged
that the increased overtime pay scale
announced yesterday by the United
States Steel Corp. was merely another
stratagem" intended to discourage
unionization."
This concession, If it can be called
one, cannot be attributed to any con-
ference which may have been held be-
tween the management Of the United
States Steel Corp. and So-called en-
ploye representatives" Murray said.
1T is merely an attempt to becloud the
issues by appearing to grant conces-
sions
1T is an admission that the CAM
paign Of the steel workers Organizing
Committee is certain to bring forth
definite and bona-fide improvements
for the steel workers"
Overtime Pay Proposed.
The announced plan Is for payment
of time and one-half for overtime work
ia excess of eight hours per day or 43
hours per week.
Murray interpreted the latter con-
dition as meaning that the industry is
definitely abandoning all pretense at
a 40-hour week as their N. r. A. code
provided.
(2) Latest issue Of Steel Facts. pub
lished by the American Iron and Steel
Institute and received today contains
a compilation of eight instances whera
employe groups in steel plants have
gone on record as opposed to outside
unioniZation.
In addition % present and former
employe representatives of a company
union in the South Chicago plant of
the Carnegie Illinois Steel Corp. were
represented as charging that recent
afiliation of their union with the
Amalgamaced Association of Iron. Steel
and Tin Workers was authorized at .
"rump" session Of the union. Tho
action of applying for the aff1liation
was improperly taken, they charged,
and did not represent majority Of
the union.
The publication also ran an ex.
planation by the institute that it
does not dictate the policies of indi.
vidual members Of the steel industry,
piece"
90. The order from the White House
directs the Internal Revenue Bureau to
place at disposal of the Senate Com.
mittee studying labor espionage all in
come, capital stock and excess profits
tax returns for the past three years,
Under such broad power, the commit
tee will be able to check income sources
of 230 private detective agencies and
the corporations which may have EN-.
ployed them for labor purposes. The
order was dated July 9. but had re.
ceived no public notice until today.
To Investigate Coercion.
The committee, headed by Senator
La Toilette of Wisconsin, is empow-
cred to make an Investigation into
all alleged attempts at coercion and
intimidation in employer-employe re-
lationships. Labor spokesmen already
have charged that the steel COM
panies have engaged private detec.
tiveS and enrolled special police. The
committee is expected to begin its
study soon after the return of Sem
ator La Toilette to Washington next
week.
"a The veral attack on John Lewis
came from his ardent foe of recent
months. Senator Holt, west Virginia
Democrat
Holt, who f1libuStered to death tho
Guffey coal bill. which Lewis was re-
ported to be supporting, charged that:
John Lewis zeal for power is his
motive, rather than any benefit that
he might get for those he claims to
speak for. He has to give something
to hold this power. and for that reason
alone the workers get the benefit that
he speaks about.
In other words, he Is using the
workers to shield his real grasping
for political and industrial mower"