The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-10-13
Observations
Did Outside Pressure
Balk Settlement
of Oil Strike?

Labor Department insiders are
convinced that Secretary Of Labor
Schwellenbach's negotiations TO
settle the oil strikes would have
succeeded had petroleum industry
representatives acted as free
agents.
One labor Official declared that
the cancellation parley collapsed
and the government seized the
struck refneries because the oil in
dustry was under terrific pressure
from outside sources not to accept
the Schwellenbach proposal.
This informant insisted that the
oil bigwigs were in constant COM
municstion with their home Offices
during the parley and received
through them the views OF steel.
automobile and other major indus
tries
Those other Industrial groups.
he explained. put on the pressure
10 have the federal settlement re-
jected. The oil industry, with ex-
tremely low labor costs, could have
agreed to the Schwellenbach plan
or even the unions 80 per cent
wage demand without fear, the Of
fetal said.
Other big industries however,
were afraid to have a pattern set
which might give the union an in
crease of around 22 or 25 per cent.
They feared such a pattern might
be applied TO their operations
where labor costs are high and a
price squeeze would Immediately
result.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS are
talking about possibilities Of lifting
meat rationing-or liberalizing 1t
furthel-in November. Action de-
ponds on the supply-demand pic
. ture, but indications are you may
be able TO buy meat without points
within q month.
Positive action will not be taken,
however, until the OPA and the
Agriculture department have decid-
ed the demand for meat has slack
ed of enough to warrant the action.
There will be plenty Of turkeys
and many more chickens available
this fall. The increase in poultry
will come as a result OF sharp mill
tary cutbacks in buying. This will
further ease the demand for meat.
DESPITE THE DECISION OF
President and Mrs. Truman not to
resume the usual series OF preten-
tious White House receptions
which marked the Washington So
cial season, other noted entertain
ers are gradually emerging from
the dimout imposed by wartime
conditions.
The embassies and legations
which were always famous for their
brilliant and usually jammed re.
ceptions are returning slowly to old
schedules as fast as imports OF
Scotcn resume. Champagne is still
notably absent and will remain so
for some time. And, the white tie
affairs Is still exceptional.
The hasty increase in receptions
is due not so much to light-hearted
gaiety but to practical necessity.
Many missions are coming to the
capital in connection with the I'M
tangling Of war imposed problems
and each needs to be entertained
and introduced TO u. s. officials at
dinners and parties. The recep-
tions serve to give the visitor and
their hosts q chance TO put before
responsible American officials the
point Of view Of the particular coun-
try seeking to enter into any special
agreement with the United States.
SECRETARY OF AGRICUL-
TURE CLINTON ANDERSON,
the nations number one food man.
talks about sugar by the millions
OF pounds down at his Office.
At home. he says, it's a different
storX The Anderson sugar bowl
is Currently empty. the Secretary
reports. Things have reached the
point where he is forced to man
euver" for a thimble full OF the
sweet stun.
The other day. he relates, he
had dinner at a friends home and
there were little paper packages Of
sugar on the coffee cups.
The Secretary slipped his packet
in a side pocket.
For a little while, he said, HIS
family had sugar. But now they're
out again.