Evening star., 1944-10-12
Little Steel Formula
Due 10 Stand Until
Victory in Europe
Administration Adviser
Doubts Change Is
Possible Before Election
BY JOSEPH A. LOTUS,
Associated Press stan Writer.

An official in the first circle of
administration advisers said to-
day the Little Steel" formula
would be held where it is until
victory in Europe, or at least
until military experts can safely
name that day.
This is not considered as of today
to be prediction possibility. Dis
closure of what amounts to settled
policy came as the result of a re-
quest for comment on the War La
bor Boards 8-to-4 decision yester-
day to omit recommendation from
the forthcoming WLB report on
wages and living costa decision
that labor members of the board
characterized as a compound of
"timidity, contradictions and double
talk"
The official, declining to be iden-
titled by name, expressed no sur
prise at the WLB action and said it
was expected and was the sensible
position to take.
Won't Tinker With Balances.
He said, in effect, that the admin
istration would not tinker with the
delicate balances of a wartime econ
omy; that it would be time for a
change only when the end of war
time pressures is clearly in sight.
Production cutbacks following We
day will relax competition for man
power.
The official's views coincide with
impressions which some labor lead
ers got from President Roosevelt in
recent conference.
A definite administration state
ment of this nature before the elec-
ton is not considered likely, but it
is believed that most labor leaders
are aware of the attitude of Mr.
Roosevelt and his advisers.
The labor chiefs who seek to break
the formula obtained no comfort
from recent speech of War Mobili-
zation Director James F. Byrnes.
Will Go to vinson First.
According to authoritative infor-
nation, Sterilization Director Fred
M. Vinson remarked in conversation
recently that ION my honor" the
Little Steel" formula would not be
broken
The WLB report will 60 to the
President via Mr.. Vinson, so there
is no telling when the papers actu-
ally will reach the Presidents desk
The board has not completed the
report and there is a possibility it
may spend two weeks debating it.
The board decision was reached by
combination of public and industry
members after consideration of a
panel report that was weighted
heavily in favor of relaxing the
Little Steel formula" In hitting
at the majority, the AFL-CIO mi
nority said the action sis an in
excusable dereliction of duty"
One labor member, Emil Rieve of
the CIO textile workers, called the
majority action comparable to a
statement from the Army chief of
staff that I'VE have no recommen-
dations on how to prosecute the war
because we don't know what the
Germans are going to do"
Labor Members Disappointed.
Labor members said they could
only conclude that the board deems
that no change in the Little Steel
formula should be recommended" !"
They said they were not angry, but
disappointed, and intended to make
their own recommendation to the
President. This they already have
done personally.
The board left the door open for
possible modification OF secondary
phases Of the wage sterilization
policy. 1t also may make some rec
concentrations on reconversion wage
problems.
The boards decision in effect re-
jects the demand OF the CIO Steel
workers and other unions for in
creases Of II cents an hour, all in
excess Of the Little Steel" formula,
which was coupled with an AFL de-
|mand for revision Of the formula.
However, unlike rejection Of wage
demands ordinarily, this does not
necessarily foreclose retroactive wage
payments when and II . rate in
(see WAGES, Page A-3)