Evening star., 1944-03-16
IWLB Faces New Test
Tomorrow as Clio
Presents Steel Case
By the Associated Press.

A majority of the War Labor
Board showed an inclination to-
day to stay offstage while Con-
|gress spotlights the wage policy,
but new test is due tomorrow
which may put strain on rela-
tionS within the board, particu-
larly between AFL and CIO
members.
After the board yesterday denied
an American Federation of Labor
motion to call on President Roose-
velt to modify realistically" the
Little Steel formula, it then voted
down another AFL proposal to hold
a public hearing with a view to ad-
vising Congress on the wage stabili-
zatlon program. The latter vote was
to 4, with AFL and CIO members
voting together in the minority and
the public and industry members in
the majority.
The public members believed the
time inappropriate because the
Senate Banking Committee has Just
begun hearings on the subject.
Steel Case Scheduled,
Tomorrow afternoon, however. the
WLB is scheduled to consider the
question of permitting its six-man
panel to hear the arguments of the
CIO United Steel Workers for q IT.
cent hourly wage increase The
issue Is not because the breaking of
the Little Steel formula Is involved.
Even the union acknowledges that
the board can not grant any part of
the II cents under existing policy
and that the board can not change
the policy.
The industry argument, in effect,
is why waste time hearing the argu-
ments and misleading people
But CIO President Philip Murray
is counting on this forum to win
public support and get the board to
recommend change in wage policy
to Mr. Roosevelt.
Between the AFL and the CIO
there exists keen subsurface rival
ry for the prestige which may ac-
crue to one or the other from a
successful drive to revise or smash
the formula which permits general
cost st-of-living increases up to Is per
cent OF the average wage in jan
uary, 194l.
Trading Possible.
The AFL members feel sure that a
hearing on the CLOS wage demands
in steel would develop into the very
kind of general performance which
the public members vetoed yester-
day as inappropriate" at this time.
The AFL members of the board con-
ceivably may oppose move to in
struct the panel to receive the CLOS
evidence. If the public members
support such motion, the AFL at
least will demand an explanation
OF why one hearing is "inappro-
pirate" and another is not.
Two AFL votes and four industry
votes would make 6-6 tie which
would block a motion to give the
CIO a "go-ahead." Thus the AFL is
In position to listen to propositions.
They want their own hearing or at
least to be a part of any big show.
The AFL Little Steel petition
presented by George Meany and
Robert j. Watt, had been before the
board since February 9. 1t was de-
bated one day last week, at which
time the WLB decided to consult
the White House before acting. It
Is understood that Vice Chairman
George w. Taylor talked with War
Mobilization Director James F.
Byrnes and reported back that the
President believed it best not to
take up the subject with the board
now in view OF the Senate hearings.
While the board was voting, one
OF its panels in an adjoining build
ing was hearing arguments by the
steel industry and the United Steel
workers on the question whether 1t
should consider testimony on the
unions wage demand.