Evening star., 1946-02-08
Critical Tasks
Force Truman
e
To Cancel Trip
President Leading
Renewed Efforts to
Ease Labor Situation
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

president Truman today sud-
denly Cancelled plans to leave for
a Florida vacation Monday be-
cause of critical" problems
here as he led an all-out Gov
ernment effort to end the steel
strike quickly and formulate
new wage-price policy designed
to relieve tension all along the
industrial front.
The Presidents reasons for the
change in plans we're not specified
by the White House beyond the
point that the decision was made
because of "the immediate critical
situation involving problems re-
quiring his personal attention. in
Washington.
officials of Federal agencies work.
Ing out new wage-price policy said
they knew of no "snag" in their
offices which would cause Mr.. Tru-
man to change his mind. The new
policy still was expected to be dis
closed tomorrow.
Only yesterday the President told
a news conference he would leave
on Monday for Florida, whether or
not the steel strike was settled. He
said the labor. situation would not
interfere with the trip. pointing out
he could still do business by tele-
phone.
William Green Not Optimistic.
Meanwhile, William Green, AFL
president, leaving a conference with
Mr.. Truman, dashed cold water on
hopes for early easing of the strike
situation. While describing the
President to newsmen as optimistic
and hopeful for early clearing up of
critical problems such as the steel
strike, Mr.. Green said, IT did not
get any impression that it would
clear up in day or two"
The AFL chief, called to the
White House for a talk on wage and
price problems, said he expressed
to the President his organizations
opposition to any new definite,
rigid, inflexible" wage formula sim
liar to the wartime Little Steel"
formula. He said he had discussed
with Mr. Truman in general terms
the Governments program to pro-
mote full production by easing price
and wage controls. He added that
he favored settling wage issues by
collective bargaining rather than
by application of a Federal yard
stick.
A top Federal official said the
President Cancelled his trip partially
because it was felt it would not
look good" for the Chief Executive
to leave at this time and partially
because the industrial picture had
not cleared as rapidly as officials
had expected. He added also that
headaches" had developed in the
Governments program for relieving
the foreign food situation through
conservation at home.
Earlier, Federal officials were
optimistic that the 19-day-old steel
strike would be settled even before
the new wage-price policy was
ready for announcement, probably
tomorrow. One official said later,
however, that that did not appear
likely.
Mr.. Truman had planned to visit
Rollins College at Winter Park, Fla,
to receive an honorary degree and
then to cruise in Florida waters on
the Presidential yacht Williams
burg.
He also had scheduled a meet
ing while in Florida with Former
British Prime Minister Winston
Churchill, which now is postponed.
White House Statement.
Eben Ayres, acting White House
press secretary, called reporters into
his office shortly before 1880 am.
today and read the following state
ment:
"The President has Cancelled his
trip to Florida and the cruise which
he had planned to take in Southern
waters.
Because of the immediate critical
situation involving problems requir-
ing his personal attention, the Pres
ident has decided not to leave
Washington at this time.
"The President particularly re-
grets that he must disappoint the
president and governing body of
Rollins College, Winter Park, Fla,
which had arranged to confer an
honorary degree on him.
He also regrets that this change
in his plans will necessitate post
ponement of his meeting with Mr..
Winston Churchill.
He feels, however, that the un-
usual circumstances justify his ac-
(See LABOR, Page A-12.)