Evening star., 1945-11-09
Conference
Continued From First Page. }

table than suffer suppressed emo
tions."
Mr.. Lewis outlined his opposition
to the Murray resolution and gave
his economic views in a speech be-
fore the Executive Committee He
restated his position later to re-
porters.
After the committee session,
management delegate remarked
Lewis made the best free enterprise
speech I ever heard" Another dele
gate added Il don't think many Of
the management delegates could OBJ
ject to Mr.. Lewis speech. He made
a good presentation.
The mine leader, saying he had
the support of AFL President Will
liam Green in the committee room,
indicated he might attempt to draft
wage bargaining policy designed
to please all sides.
Mr.. Murray, however, clarifying
his resolution, said he would not
alter it. He declared it was not his
idea to interject prices. the cost of
living or percentage wage formula
in the conference, but that he mere
ly sought Endorsement of Mr.. Tru-
mans view that it is imperative"
that wage rates should be raised If
the Nation is to be prosperous.
Antibias Resolution Offered.
Mr.. Murray introduced another
resolution before the Executive
Committee urging incorporation of
an antidiScrimination clause in COL
lective bargaining contracts which
will seek to protect the interests of
all people regardless of race, color,
religion. national origin or ances-
try" He said it was necessary to
minimize work stoppages" and to
further sound" bargaining.
Mr.. Lewis expressed fear that the
CIO leaders ideas would perpetuate
Federal control of wages and prices.
He said Mr.. Murray sought a wage
formula like that wartime Little
Steel yardstick, adding that industry
had enough of formulas. Before
the committee and later to news
men, Mr.. Lewis described the Muir
ray resolution as ''innocuous. feeble
and namby- -pamby.'
It was the latter reference that
apparently caused Mr.. Murray to
become. in the mine leaders lang
uage, highly emotional" Others
in the committee room said Mr..
Murray told his opponent the CIO
was fighting organization and that
neither it nor its president was
afraid OF Mr.. Lewis. The latter
talked freely about the incident.
Mr.. Murray refused comment.
Free Competition Urged.
| Mr.. Lewis declared the CIO res
olution would limit labor's wage
gains to the price advance of "a
bottle of milk, pair of shoes or a
straw hat" He advocated a wage
program that would free labor to
seek whatever it could reasonably"
get.
I'VE believe in the right of in
vestors to get a return on their in
yestment, or industry to make a
profit, of labor to negotiate free
w." said.
Free competition within industry
as peacetime production rises, Mr..
Lewis said, will serve as "limita-
ton on prices and brake on profits,
while increased efficiency and COM
petition will lower the cost of articles
to the consumer"
Mr.. Lewis later told reporters his
/ free-bargaining. theory did not
mean he advocated immediate
abolition of price controls. He said
he believed Mr.. Truman meant to
do that at the "opportune moment. -
i But he said the UNIV could not
subscribe to Government control
of prices and profits and the f1xa-
ton of wage scales" as a policy to
which labor should adhere.
| Our economy must be a free
economy" he said. I'VE cannot
base a postwar economy within the
limitations laid down by the Presi-
dent
i Still another conference fight
swirled around Mr.. Lewis, who
holds only one of the labor delega-
tion's 18 votes. AFL and CIO have
eight each, and the railway broth
erhoods one. Management's Ia
votes are divided between National
Association of Manufacturers and
the United States Chamber of Com
merce.