The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-22

cate any increase it granted. Further, 1t was no secret to him that U. s. Steel was talking s cents. If he acted first and vol- untarily granted Q pay boost that topped the offer of his competi- tor, which had 6 union contract, the union would be at c disadvail- tage in trying to organize Weir's workers.
 Weir acted. He announced . 1e-cent an hour increase.
 Privately, his fellow operators ragged. But the shooting was all over. U. s. Steel, with a vast in- dustrial empire branching into many lines, could not hold out for s cents when @ competitor pro- ducing only steel declared the could afford to pay 10 cents. So Big Steel had to capitualte and the rest of the industry surrend- cred without SWOC having to fire Q shot.
 As Murray left the Pittsburgh conference, where U. s. Steel signed on the dotted line, one SWOCC official remarked with Q broad grin, Phil, we'll have to give Weir membership card No. 1. He earned it." t.
 NOTE - The day after the SWOC victory, Walter Tower, for- mer head of the Iron and Steel Institute and dollar-a.year steel "expert" of OPM, told 6 private press conference that the wage boost would lead to an early in- crease in the price of steel. Cer- tain highcost mills would take the lead, he explained, and the others would follow.
 Several hours later blunt ing Defense price czar Leon Hen. derson issued his order freezing steel prices ct thelr present lev- els. Henderson does his own "ex- perting." . THE SPEAKERS TRAINER If Speaker Sam Rayburn doesn't keep in physical trim, 1t isn't the fault of Bob Johnson, Negro mas- seur in the House gymnasium.
 Johnson, who halls from Min. eral Springs, Texas takes no chances on Rayburn. Twice Q week, regular as clockwork, John- son calls the Speakers office and notifies a secretary to "get Mis- tah Rayburn over here quick % I can work on him."
 There's no tone of polite sug- gestion in Johnson's voice. He orders. Within five or ten inin- utes, Rayburn, grinning, shows up for his workout. TWO WORLDS
 Walter 0. Teagle, Standard oil executive who Is one of the four employer representatives on the Defense Mediation Board, doesn't know the word "fear." Dynamic and two-fisted, he has done busi- ness all over the world, under all sorts of conditions and with all sorts of people. and is ct his best when the going is tough.
 But he has one ph0bia. He can't stand the sight 0f . cage.
 The other day, during Q lull in @ meeting on e defense strike, Vice Chairman William II. Davis casually remarked that the na. tional commander of the Knights Templar had been in Washington to participate in an Easter cere- mony.
 "That couldn't happen in Ger many" said Teagie.
 Then he told about e Maxi pa- rade he had witnessed in Berlin two years ago, in which a series of floats depicted German strides" under Hitler. One float was composed of three cag- es. In the first was e figure rep resenting union labor, in the sec ond, a Jew, and in the third. . Mason.
 sThat was . perfect cen- mentaxy on the difference be- tween democracy and Naxism," observed Teagle. "Over here hu- mans cage beasts. Over there beasts cage humans"
 SHINY GENERAL
 No phase of modern defensive warfaxe, in which attacking planes must be checked, is considered more vital than the srt of ca- mouflage. The British long ego