Evening star., 1942-07-02
Union Maintenance
Held Possible Threat
To War Program
Republic Counsel Attacks
Plon at Labor Boards
Little Steel Hearing
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
A maintenance Of membership
clause, enforced by the Government
as \ union security provision. may
tend to impede rather than accel-
crate the war production program.
Republic Steel Corp. counsel told
the War Labor Board today.
Under maintenance of member
ship" said T. F. Patton, Republic
counsel. employees electing to re-
main members of the union accept
union membership and payment of
dues as condition of employment.
Under those circumstances they are
not in a position to voice objections
to arbitrary or unwise demands
made by union leaders. or to threats
of turbulence and stoppage Of work
in case such demands are not met"
Republic was the third of the four
Little Steel" companies to present
final arguments against the de-
mands Of the CIO United Steel
Workers for a wage increase OF 81
a day, the union shop and the COM
pany checkoff of union dues. The
union opened the arguments yester-
day with a three-hour oral presen-
tation by President Philip Murray,
Harold Ruttenberg, the unions
economist, and Lee Pressman, C1O
counsel
Full Union Shop Sought.
Mr.. Pressman submitted an ex-
tended argument for the full union
shop, under which all employees of
a company would have to join the
union. The maintenance Of men,
bership plan, which the board has
favored, does not compel present
employees to join. Those who are
members usually have a specified
period to withdraw, If they desire.
Future employees, however, must
join.
About $4,000 employees of Re
public, Bethlehem and Inland Steel
and youngstown Sheet g. Tube Cos.
are affected by the case, which has
been before the board for four and
a half months. A three-man panel,
not board members, submitted
finding report which supported
a wage increase. but did not actually
recommend it.
Republic objected to the $1-a-day
wage increase on grounds similar
to those argued by the other COM
panies: The proposed increase
would violate the national wage
stabilization program because the
companies wages are not sub
standard nor below the level OF
health and decency; the fact that
men In some other industries work
ing many hours of overtime are re-
ceiving larger net wages Is not
proper ground for raising basic rates
in steel.
Grace Criticizes Demands.
In statement read to the board,
Eugene G. Grace, Bethlehem presi-
dent, said the unions demands were
"unsound and dangerous" and "one
sure way to set in motion the
dreaded inflationary spiral, with It's
aftermath of disaster and suffering"
Chester A. McLain Of Bethlehem
counsel, said that while his firm "is
able to pay the increase, that has no
bearing on the case and was dragged
into 1t by the ears to show that
profits should be passed along to the
workers"
The demanded $1-a-day raise, he
said, If spread throughout the heavy
industries, would add $4,000, ,OOO, 900
to the wage share of the national
income, with infationary results.
Ernest S. Ballard, Inland's coun-
sci, said that under the Presidents
policy on wages the board may ask
only whether wages are below those
paid for comparable work, and
whether they are below standards Of
health and decency.
Mr.. Ballard submitted compare
tive figures on earnings and as
sailed the panel report as failing
to measure up to board require
ments for an impartial, compre-
hensive, factual report"
Pay Statistics cited.
He asserted the average pay of
the Nations 32,000,0 900 workers was
$3.50, whereas the average for In
land employees WAS $4,000.
Edward l.. Ryerson, chairman Of
Inland, presented the company's
view on the union security issue,
declaring that since the board al
ready had overruled a protest, I'VE
must reserve the right to question
your authority In the forum Of pub
lie opinion"
I'VE do not believe" he added,
that the people OF the United
States have acquiesced In taking
from Congress the power to limit
the personal freedoms OF the mil
lions of workers throughout the
Nation"
John c. Gall, appearing for
youngstown, said: 'The question OF
ability to pay q demanded wage In
crease (as reported by the paneD Is