Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-02-10
Delay in Price
.Po|icyLaidt 10
.'Face-Sa,ving'
ReshuffIing Of Key
Jobs Gives Truman
New Headache
BY JAMES Y NEWTON.

Philip Murray. president of the
CLIO, said yesterday he was "op-
timistic" over prospects of an
early end of the steel strike, a
point OF view echoed by the
White House where an official
reported good progress toward
settlement of the Nations big
gest walkout.
Most of the efforts of President
Truman and his close advisers, how
ever, were directed toward putting
touches to liberalized wage
price policy and finding the man
who will administer it.
A report given authority by sew
eral officials said the President was
considering appointing Price Ad-
ministrator Chester. Bowles as di-
rector of sterilization, post now
held by Judge John C. Collet, who
presumably would return to the
Federal bench in Missouri. Under
the reported plan, Paul A. Porter,
chairman of the Federal Communi-
cations Commission, would replace
Mr.. Bowles at OPA.
Bowles' Friends Dubious.
Full authority to hold the bent
Sterilization line would be given
Mr.. Bowles, now that the basic de-
cision has been made to ease price
controls so industry can boost wages
and the wave of reconversion strikes
can be ended. Mr.. Bowles lost the
price battle to Reconversion Direc-
tor Snyder and his friends were
doubtful that he would take the
sterilization job unless he were given
full authority, which would include
some of the powers now held by
Mr.. Snyder.
Z One thing was certain, that those
advising MIR. Truman on wage and
price matters were an unhappy
group. Personal feelings were in
timately involved In the controversy
and the President was represented
in one quarter as trying to save
everybody's face"
An announcement today of
steel settlement or the new wage
price policy was held possible, but
officials were inclined to believe that
both most likely would be delayed
until at least tomorrow. Mr.. Bowles'
scheduled appearance before the
House Banking Committee, consid-
ering extension of the Sterilization
Act beyond the June 80 expiration
date, was postponed a third time,
from tomorrow until Thursday.
Federal Offers Rejected.
Reports concerning the steel strike
settlement still were based on a price
increase to the industry of about IS
a ton and wage increase to the
100000 CLIO United Steel Workers
of 1872 cents an hour, the amount
suggested several weeks ago by Mr..
Truman.
While it was indicated that the
steel industry so far had rejected all
Government price relief offers, off,
Gals were hopeful it would accept
as a basis for ending the strike the
new offer contained in the directive
now in preparation.
Mr.. Murray expressed optimism
over the steel outlook before the
Senate Labor Committee, where he
testified in oppOsition to the Presi-
dents proposal for establishment of
fact-finding boards to settle labor
disputes.
He told the committee that any
wage agreement ending the steel
strike will extend until February Is,
1947. A reporter later asked the
CLIO chief if that meant he ex-
pected the strike to end next Fri
day, which is February Is. Mr.. Muir
ray replied:
You will have to make your own
assumption, but we're gotten that
far in negotiations"
He said he thought some increase
in steel prices might be necessary
to meet his unions wage demands.
That point I am not prepared
to debate" Mr.. Murray explained.
The phase of this situation to
which I am addressing myself is the
hijacking of prices to the point
where the public will suffer, and
See LABOR, Page A-5D