The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1946-01-19
10000 Steelworkers Set
For Strike Early Monday
CONTINUED from Page One)

ference said the union was sure of
full support from progressive
forces in what he predicted will
be "bitter struggle" He said U.
S. Steel has 1.-THE full d sole re-
sponsibility" for the strike.
Murray drew a parallel between
the position taken by the steel COM
pany / that taken by General
Motors in turning down the wage
recommendations of a Presidential
fact finding board, and said in a
statement:
THE evil conspiracy among
American big business has been
unmasked. Its clear aim is to exact
unconditional surrender of the
American people and the United
States government. This conspiracy
must be stopped if the sacred prin-
clples, for which we fought in our
struggle to destroy Nazism, are to
be American people in peace Xxx.
american industry, fattened
with war profits, guaranteed a high
level of profits through special tax
rebates under laws written at their
behest, have deliberately set out to
destroy labor unions to provoke
strikes and economic chaos, and hi
Jack the American people through
uncontrolled profits and initiation.
They are determined to accom-
plish their objective. regardless of
the risk to our nation
Fairless told the Chief Executive
in a letter that "there is limit in
the extent to which union wage
demands can be met by us. We
reached that limit when we raised
our offer to the union last Friday
Xxx to Xxx Is cents an hour"
That increase, he std, would
cost the corporation $50, 000,00 a
year.
In the event big steel' refuses
to change it's stand fact-finding
board may go to work. Mr.. Truman
already has appointed one, but it
has held off looking into the steel
dispute pending the outcome OF
at the White House.
The President has been repre-
scented as willing to order govern
ment seizure of steel plants, If the
strike comes off-only as last re-
sort.
Fairless' letter disclosed that the
government had offered to approve
an increase in steel prices. 1t re-
portedly was willing to 60 as high
as 81 a ton, although Price Admin
istrator Chester Bowles has con-
tended that $3.50 is the top figure
that would hold the line against in
flation.
"Much as we desire to avoid
steel strike" Fairless wrote MIR.
Truman, 1--WE cannot overlook the
effect both on this corporation and
on our customers and American
business in general, Of the 10 IL
cent an hour wage increase, winch
you have proposed.
"Such wage increase must re-
suit in higher prices for steel than
have previously been proposed to
us by the government. Great IL
nancial harm would soon follow
for all users of steel who would be
obliged to pay high prices for their
steel, higher wages to their employ
es. and still have the prices for
their own products subject to OPA
control.
"Such high and unjustified
wage scale might well spell finan-
cial disaster for many of the small
err steel companies and for a large
number of steel fabricators and pro-
cessors. The nation needs the out
put of these companies.
Increased wages and increased
prices which force companies out
of business can only result in IRE
parable damage to the American
people"
The Truman compromise of ID IL
cents capped a long series of dick
erings.
The union and U. S. Steel failed
to adjust their wage differences
through collective bargaining. "A
string of meetings followed in
which Murray. Fairless and gov
ment labor officials, sometimes IN
consultation with the President,
also failed to settle the dispute.
After comforting with the Presl-
dent last night, Fairless flew to
New York to talk with his board
of directors and other steel execu-
tives. Murray met with his steel
workers executive board.
MIR. Truman had asked the com
pany and union presidents for an
answer by noon today. CLIO had its
brief reply at the White House by
the deadline. SteePs answer follow
ed an hour later.
While only U. S. Steel was i'm
mediately involved in negotiations
here, the strike call is general and
Fairless was accepted by officials
and >workers as speaking for the
industry at large.
UNION SETS WHEELS
IN MOTION FOR TEST
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 18.-(P)-The
CLIO United SteelWorkers and stee
companies set wheels in motion
Il :.