Evening star., 1946-06-20
Wyatt Seeking Pledge
OF Labor Peace From
Building Trade Unions
BY the Assoeioied Press

BY the Assoeioted Press
Housing Administrator Wilson
Wyatt is sounding out AFL and
C1O building unions on a six
month no-strike pledge to let the
homes for veterans program
swing into full stride.
This became known today as the
National Housing Agency ordered
into effect a multi million dollar
subsidy program for softwood ply
wood, designed to open up that
major bottleneck in home construc-
ton.
Manufacturers will be authorized
to pay $3.50 per 1000 feet more for
''peeler" logs, the kind needed for
plywood, and to get full reimburse
ment from the Government If they |
boost production 25 per cent or
more above normal quotas.
That regulation was signed as a
quick followup to the subsidy OF SIS
a thousand for bricks and structural
tiles produced in excess OF quotas.
Both subsidies are part of the $780,
100000 premium payment" plan
approved by Congress to stimulate
output of building materials.
Aides of the MIA administrator
revealed his no-strike efforts, saying
privately that Mr.. Wyatt hopes to
obtain a pledge from organized la I
Dor in the construction and building
materials industries to refrain from
any work stoppages until December.
BY that time, they said it is felt,
thousands of homes now standing
partly finished can be completed,
new residential starts can be made
with confidence, and-as one official
put 1.-THE 1916 shelter program can
get over the hump" i
First feelers went out to the AFL,
dominant in the building trades.
While no official request has been
made or assurances given, it was
indicated the idea is receiving con-
sideration from union chiefs.
The Wyatt move is parallel to that
of Stabilizat ton Director Bowles,
who has talked to Presidents Will
liam Green of the AFL and Philip
Murray of the CIO about a renewal
of their wartime pledge against
work stoppages. Mr. BoYles' objec-
tive is to get production rolling and
check the upward spiral of wages
and prices.
Negotiations Under Way.
First hint of Mr.. Wyatt's plans
came from the MIA chief himself at
an informal news conference at
which he explained the subsidy pro-
gram for bricks yesterday. When
asked for his views on the strike
moratorium idea, Mr.. Wyatt said:
"We are in the middle of negotia-
tions now with labor. I don't want
to make any comment at this time"
Today it became clear that he was
speaking of his own independent !
plans, rather than Mr.. Bowles deli
cate negotiations. Mr.. Wyatt now
Is understood to be waiting for
labor's opinion to crystalline before !
making a formal request based on
tAiO SC1lC 1lCCo VI S1lClICl
for ex-servicemen.
MIA was wasting no time. how |
ever. in driving ahead with the
premium payment plan. The brick
subsidy, to run from the first of this |
month until next June, will take
s1o,o0o,0o0 to 100000 bite out of
the total approved in the Emer-
gency Housing Act.
PIywood Order Signed.
The plywood regulation already
has been signed, it was learned, and
is due for announcement later in |
the day
1t authorizes plywood manufac-
turers to pay higher than ceiling
prices to their suppliers OF peeler
logs and to get reimbursement from
the Reconstruction Finance Corp
If they meet increased production
goals.
In order to get the full $3.50 scale
for each 1000 feet of logs most COM
panies would have to expand their
output Is per cent or more, above
the production level of the first
quarter of this year. Modified quotas
would be set for firms whose first
quarter output was already close to
the limit Of capacity. If production
goes above the quota, but less than
Is per cent above it, the reimburse
ment would be smaller-for each /
per cent above quota a company
would get 80 cents per 1000 board
feat of loos consumed
The regulation is effective on logs
purchased from the start of this
month. 1t expires next March 81.