The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-05-11
BY PETER EDSOk
Monitor-Leoder Washington
Coryespondent

tC be me longest 1l9ntS ana lfle
longest fights have q tendency
to develop like chess match
es, where O move has TO be
made only once every holt
hour, or O British cricket
match, where the spectators
stand around in eroy toPPers,
leaning on their canes tor
doys at q time without any
more signs Of life than some
one occasionally opening his
mouth to soy "HowW
Among the better and BIT
terer battles that have been
fought in Washington this post
winter have been some Of the
closed session hearings before
panels Of the War Labor
Board. Clarence B. Randall OF
Chicago, inland Steel vice
president who presented his
compony's case b e { ore the
WLB recently, told about q
few Of the fost rounds fought
in this case, ord they make on
interesting chapter on one
phase Of the war effort that
isn't generally known.
Much TODD was made over
the announcement thot WLB
was 10 make its full board
meetings open TO the public,
but this does not apply TO the
panel meetings, where the real
arguments ore presented be-
fore three members, one repre-
senting the public, one labor,
one management. In the In
land Steel cose, Arthur s. Mey-
er, chairman Of the New York
state mediation boord, presid-
ed os panel chairman, and ct
its opening session on Feb. 70,
il was ogreed that no one
would talk until otter the hear
ines we're concluded. At first
that wos considered q gag rule,
but os the hearings progress
ed it became apparent thot
this gag was probably for the
best interests, for if the two
sides had been permitted 70
spout openly there would have
been daily erondstondine and
attempts 70 gro b headlines
that would have made this con-
troVersoI dispute over closed
shop or union maintenance ex-
ceedingIy dirty.
RESPECTS MURRAY
Randall himself is never at
loss for q word, and he poys
full respects 70 Phil Murroy,
president Of the Steel Workers
Organizing c o m m ttee who
presented the cose for the un-
ion, os his opponent. Murroy's
rich Scotch burr, his sense Of
the dramatic and his timing
make him an extremely force
fuI speaker. In one session he
talked for more than three
hours without stopping, begin
ming at noon and so making
everyone miss lunch. In an
other session, Murray, in OBJ
jectine TO q ruling Of Chair
man Meyers, sold bitterly, u
do not think you ore fit to pre-
side over this panel" 1t threw
the session into on uproor,
though q week later, Meyer and
Murray we're laughing about
II when Murray had occasion
to remark with mock neekness
and sugoy humility, "Moy |
enter my usual mild objec-
tions?"
Murray and Randall had
one Of their hottest rounds
when Murray OF one stage in
the proceedings demanded the
right to audit the inland books.
Randall countered with q de-
man TO audit the union books
and charges thot there we're
plenty Of things in the union
record which would not stand
the light Of publicity. They
called the round O drow.
Those ore Just samples Of
what goes on in session otter
session as these labor disputes
ore argued out. The Inland
Steel negotiations have beer
going on eight months. There
we're ! 7 sessions Of direct com.
pony SWOC negotiations from
September through December
disposine Of all questions but
closed shop and check off. Ir
mid Jonuory, SWO~ asked fol
S. O doy increases. In Febru.
any the case wos certified tc
War Labor Board. Panel hear,
inqs we're concluded toward the
end Of April. The Ponel-Mey.
err, Cyrus Ching and Richorc
Fronkensteen-hos since ther
been reviewing the record
IL. A.