Evening star., 1941-03-20
(Tert OF Presidents Order,
Page A-16.)
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
The United States Cancellation
Service moved quickly today to CO.
operate with the National Defense
Mediation Board appointed by
President Roosevelt to compose diff
ferences between labor and manage
ment in defense industries.
John R. Steelman, director OF the
Labor Department service, an
nounced the divisions ITO concilia-
tors would gather next week end
in regional meetings at New York,
Chicago, San Francisco and Bir-
mingham to discuss pending labor
disputes and arrange for dovetail-
ing their peacemaking efforts with
the work of the new board.
Mr.. Steelman said his division
was determined to assist labor and
industry in maintaining harmonious
relations to insure the free and
uninterrupted flow of work and ma
terials in the interest of national
defense"
Members of Mediation Board.
Such are the broad aims of the
board named yesterday by Mr..
Roosevelt. DR.. Clarence A. Dykstra,
president of the University of Wis
consin and director of the selective
service system, was appointed chair
man. There are two other repre-
sentativeS of the public and four
each of labor and industry.
In addition to DR.. Dykstra, men,
bers of the board are:
Public: William Hammatt Davis,
New York patent attorney; and
Frank P. Graham, president of the
University of North Carolina
Industry: Walter c. Teagle of
Connecticut, former president of the
Standard Oil Co.; Roger D. Lapham
Of California, president of the Amer
lean Hawaiian Steamship Co.;
Eugene Meyer, publisher of the
Washington Post, and Cyrus Ching,
director of industrial and public
relations of the United States
Rubber Products Co.
Labor: George Meany of New
York, general secretary of the A. F..
L.; George M. Harrison of Ohio,
grand president of the Brotherhood
of Railway and Steamship Clerks
and an A. F. L. vice president; Philip
Murray of Pennsylvania, president
of the c. I. O., and Thomas Ken
nedy of Pennsylvania, secretary
treasurer of the United Mine Work.
ers of America &C. I. o..
Boards Functions. -
The new board will step in when
and if the Cancellation Service fails
to bring about an agreement in
given dispute. The board has no
power to compel agreements, but is
authorized to investigate, recon-
mend settlements, and make public
its findings.
Although A. F. L. President Will
liam Green called formation of the
board constructive step" Senator
Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia ex-
pressed the opinion that it would be
inadequate to stop unnecessary
strikes"
Senator Byrd said in a statement
that the national welfare demands
immediate action to prevent further
and unnecessary strikes in vital de-
fense industries" The Mediation
Board, he added had no power to
act and thus would not accomplish
this quickly and effectively" He
said stern and firm measures were
essential.
Production Chief William S.
Knudsen welcomed the board, but
said he still believed there should
be a cooling off" period before a
strike was put into effect.
In some quarters it was expected
the board might hold its first meet
ing before the week end.
Aside from formation of the new
board, there were a number of i'm
portant developments in the defense
labor situation.
President Philip Murray of the
c. I. O., acting in his capacity as
chairman of the Steel Workers Or
ganizing Committee, arranged to
meet at Pittsburgh today with J.
Lester Perry, president of Carnegie
Illinois Steel Corp, to discuss union
demands for a wage increase of 10
cents an hour and other changes in
the S. w. o. c. contract with United
States Steel Corp. Carnegie-I
is subsidiary of United States Steel.
This meeting signaled that the
existing contract had formally been
reopened. Unless an agreement is
reached otherwise by the end of this
month, the contract automatically
will be terminated. Some steel
sources suggested privately that the