Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-02-03
Truman MayCa||
|ParIeys Of Steel
|ChiefsThisWeek
President Sees BowIes,
Vinson and Byrnes in
Woee-Price Situation
PRICES. NOT WAGES, now chief
issue, Reuther tells Truman.
Page A-9
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.


BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.
President Truman may call in
principals in the steel strike for
further conferences this week, a
White House official announced
last night.
The announcement was made after
the President had devoted a major
portion of the day to discussion of
labor and related economic prob
lens with top Government officials
amid indications that he was consid-
ering reshaping national wage-price
policy to cope with the strike crisis.
Names of the persons outside of
the Government" who will take part
in the conferences, the official said,
probably will be made public today.
While the White House aide refused
further Identification of participants,
another official indicated the "prin-
cipals" would include President
Benjamin F. Fairless and Chairman
Irving S. Olds of the United States
Steel Corp.
Sees Top Officials.
Mr.. Truman conferred for two
hours with Secretary of State Byrnes
and Secretary of Treasury Vinson,
and later had a lengthy talk with
Price Administrator Chester 2owles,
who cut short vacation in the
South to keep the appointment.
1t was believed Mr.. Truman sought
their advice on the national wage
pfice deadlock which has led to
industry paralyzing strikes and a
general slowing down of the recon-
version program. Secretaries Vim
son and Byrnes are experienced in
the field, since both once headed
the ONCE of War Mobilization and
Reconversion as well as the Office
OF Economic Sterilization.
Mr.. Bowles refused to discuss his
talk with the President and when
asked If he planned to resign,
pointed out smilingly that he had
been around a long time" The
price chiefs visit was said to have
concerned, among other things, his
appearance this week before a House
committee considering extension of
the Sterilization Act. Reconversion
Director Snyder took part in the
conference with Mr.. Truman.
The administration hak been SUBJ
jected to great pressure recently to
ease price controls as a means of
getting manufacturing industry into
high gear. Although the pressure
perhaps has been greatest on steel
and meat ceilings, it has come from
most other industrial lines as well.
Wilson a Visitor.
Sandwiched between the meetings
with the two cabinet officers and Mr..
Bowles, Mr.. Truman talked for Is
minutes with President Charles e.
Wilson of General Electric Co., whose
100000 production employees are in
volved in the strike of CLIO United
Electrical Workers.
Mr.. Wilson, who had requested
the appointment, told newsmen
afterward that Il had certain sug-
gestions on wage and price policy
to give the President which he is
going to consider" He emphasized
that his call was concerned entirely
with affairs of his own company and
did not deal with strikes in other
electrical concerns or the steel in
dustry.
The former war Production
Board vice chairman indicated he
stressed the argument that his COM
pany must have higher prices to
meet wage boosts. He said the price
question lis one hurdle we can't get
over" in wage talks with the CLIO
and Federal mediators attempting
to end the strike. While GE prices
are held by OPA at substantially
1910 levels, he explained that COM
pany wage offers rejected by the
union as inadequate would boost
pay more than 40 per cent over 1910
levels.
Reconversion Director Snyder is
known to favor the easing of price
controls where it seems apparent
that tight ceilings are throttling
production. Under present stabilize
ton regulations industry, in most
instances, must wait six months
after increasing wages for a Fed
(See LABOR, Page A-9)