Evening star., 1946-01-16
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.


The Nations hopes of avert
ing its greatest modern-day
strike-a walkout of 300, 900
workers in steel and related in
duStries, set for Monday
hinged today on another un-
ion-industry conference at the
White House.
CIO President Philip Murray, who
also heads the United Steel Work.
ers, and Benjamin F. Fairless, presi-
dent of United States Steel Corp,
we're to resume their wage talks at
2 pm in the White House cabinet
room, adjacent to the Office of Mr..
Truman.
1t was evident that the Govern
ment, while far from ignoring the
major new walkouts that raised the
total of strike-idle workers to a rec
d-breaking 100000, regarded the
steel dispute as the key to the whole
boiling industrial relations situation.
The goal OF Federal officials was to
settle the steel dispute, in the be-
lief that it would force agreement
in other lines.
AS major disputants in steel pre-
pared to meet under auspices of
the President" they were, so far as
was known, still Az cents an hour
apart on wages. United States
Steel, bellwether of the industry
has offered a wage hike of Is cents
an hour, as contrasted to Mr.. Muir
rays scaled-down demands for
1917 cents.
Bill Faces Changes.
In Congress, meanwhile, Senator
Ellender, Democrat, of Louisiana
who introduced in the Senate a
bill embodying Mr.. Truman's pro-
posal for finding boards
backed ups with subpoena power
and 30-day no-strike provision
for unions. said the legislation was
unlikely to pass the Senate in its
present form.
The Senate Labor Committee, OF
which Senator Ellender is. a men,
ber,. resumed hearings on the bill
today with William Leiserson, for
mer chairman of the National
Mediation Board railroad indus
try, as its witness. Yesterday Will
liam H. Davis, former chairman of
the War Labor Board, told the
committee it would be mistake
to enact into law the Presidents
fact-flnding ideas.
Senator Ellender said that the
final version of the measure should
provide a basis for legislative ma
chinery which may include concili-
alton and the voluntary arbitration
OF labor disputes.
Steel Companies Critical.
In New York, Iron Age, the ma.
tional metal-working magazine
stated there was no more than q
$3.50 chance of another postpone
ment of the steel strike. The pub
| lication reported that some steeI
companies were critical of the Il
cents an hour wage boost offered
the CIO by United States Steel.
| Mr.. Fairless discussed the wage
situation in New York yesterday
with the heads of other major stee,
companies. He probably has the
industry's answer to the CIO in his
pocket, but it was unlikely that il
! will be made public until after the
White House conference.
Federal labor officials were Ger,
tain that Mr.. Murray and his biz
union would proceed with the strik,
rather than recede an inch from it,
current 1914 a-cents-an-hour demand
The Government had its offer O.
price relief to steel companies as it.
principal weapon in the attempt tt
persuade the industry to settle tn,
dispute.
| 1t was expected that .Presidenr
Truman again will participate in to.
days conference if needed. Thre,
officials were scheduled to meet witt
ME. Murray. and Mr.. Fairless. Thes,
are Reconversion Director Snyder
Secretary of Labor Schwellenbacf
and John R. Steelman, special as,
sistant to the President.
Mr.. Truman also told reporter.