Evening star., 1943-03-17
Wage Sterilization
Crisis Threatened
Over Steel Formula
ClO Backs AFL Demand
For Easing Of Controls
Over Wages
1v tbs Assnriated PreSs

The admlnistration-la labor struggle
over stabillzation Of wages appeared
TO be heading rapidly toward a crisis
today with the CIO backing up in
directly the AF'L members demand
Ing that the War Labor Board throw
out the Little Steel" formula.
The pressure on the board to ease
wage controls w1s intensified. 100
by the declaration Of President John
L. Lewis Of the United Mine Workers
that coal miners would not work
April l unless they got a new con-
tract. The miners are asking 81 A
day increase in wages.
Representative Gossett. Democrat.
Of Texas told the House that Mr.
Lewis would become the Benedict
Arnold of l943" if he calls coal
strike on April !
Lewis Called Economic Tyrant"
Referring to Mr. Lewis as an
economic tvrant' the Texan de-
clared miners are suffering no more
hardship from the war than other
Americans and members of the
armed forces
Representative Hoffman. Republi-
can of Michigan, proposing legisla-
ton to bring about the induction
OF strikers into the armed forces.
said coal strike would be "equiva-
lent to a major disaster suffered by
our armed fighting forces"
MI. Hoffman accused the RooSe-
Welt administration of lacking the
inclination or the courage to
promptly and effectively deal with
this threat to our national safety
Reporters asked President RooSe-
Welt at press conference yesterday
for comment on the miners wage
request. but he brushed the query
aside with the remark that he did
not want to prejudice the case.
Resents Byrncs' Power.
AFL members of the War Labor
Board demanded in effect that the
board challenge the authority which
Mr.. Roosevelt gave James F. Bvrnes.
director of economic stablization. to
veto its action. They asked that the
board act without dicta ton" from
other agencies, deal realistically"
with inequalities and reconsider the
West Coast aircraft and packing
house decisions.
Chairman William Il. Davis dis
closed that the board discussed the
AFL petition for an hour and half
snd placed it at the top Of next
Mondays calendar for further dis
cussion and action, If possible
Almost Immediately the CIO mem
hers of the board presented to the
WLB statement of CIO President
Philip Murray asserting that recent
board decisions were contrary to the
rational wage stabilization policy
and asking for stabilizati0n policy
to match the actual increase in liv-
ing costs
Denies ANY Dictation.
Mr. Davis refused to express an
opinion Of the AFL proposals, saying
he would do that when the time
comes to vote on them in the board.
Asked whether he telt board deci-
sions have been dictated by other
governmental agencies or persons.
as implied by the AFL members, Mr..
Davis said:
No. do not. If I did l would
not be chairman
He added that reporters knew that
Mr.. ByrneS had certain controlling
powers and that where a decision af-
fected price ceilings he had the
power to stay the boards action.
The WLB chairman said there are
precedents for reopening cases but
would not comment further on that
point. Asked about price stabiliza-
tion, he said he believed it had been
remarkably successful considering
the size Of the country and the pro-
gram.
Roger D. Lapham, industry mem
her Of the board, when asked TO COM
ment on the AFL proposals. said:
They forget that Congress passed
an anti-lnfation act approved by
the President October 2, 1912. re-
ouiring the War Labor Board to
stabilize wages as of September Is.
1912. If the AFI wants imitation
they should ask Congress for it.
Formula Is Criticized.
The AFI petition for modifica-
ton of the Little Steel formula
takes no account Of the fact that the
increase in actual earnings or
weekly takehome (pay) in this
country has greatly exceeded the in
crease in the cost Of living AS point
ed out by Dr., Taylor tWLB vice
chairman in the packing COM
panies' case. factory wages. for in
stance. have Increased 50 per cent
since January /. l94l while the cost
Of living has advanced only approx
mately 90 per cent"
The WLB, which is charged with
interpreting wage sterilization poll
cles, is a trlpartlte body on which
labor. industry, and the public has
equal representation The labor rep
reerrt9tl0n is eoua1lv SipiraG no