Evening star., 1946-02-15
Retroactive Date
Only Point Left
In Strike Dispute
fTert on Page A-2.)
By jones Y. Newton

The Nation today had a new
strike-settling stabilization pol
icy based on higher prices and
wages, a new high command"
to administer it and, although
none of the big strikes had been
settled, the end of the industry
paralyzing steel walkout off,
cially was described as "very,
very near"
There was high hope at the White
House that announcement of settle
ment of the 26-day-old steel strike,
at least as far as the producers of
basic steel are concerned, could be
made by nightfall 1t was generally
understood that striking CIO United
Steel Workers will receive an 1811-
cent-an-hour wage boost and the in
dustry a price increase of IS a ton
on all types of steel.
Only point of difference remain
ing between the union and the
United States Steel Corp, leader of
the industry, it was indicated, was
the effective date of the wage in
crease. The company advocates jan
uary l, as suggested by President
Truman, while the CIO is holding
out for August 18, when wartime
wage controls were eased. The White
House expected to announce agree
ment last night, but negotiations
begged down at the last minute.
Opposed by william Green.
The Presidents new policy en-
countered immediate opposition
from William Green, president of
the American Federation of Labor,
who described it as unsatisfactory,
Unacceptable" and "a backward
step" He said it would multiply
the Nations troubles" by creating
widespread social, industrial and
economic discomfort and upheav-
ais" This will be true, he said, be-
cause the policy "re-establishes
wage fixing by Government and
strikes a body blow at free collec-
tive bargaining"
mo employer will be willing toI
bargain collectively with labor
union under the. restrictions i'm
posed by the new policy" he said.
No comment was Forthcoming i'm
mediately from CIO President
Philip Murray.
Pattern for Wage Adjustments.
Mr.. Truman announced the fol-
lowing developments, after weeks of
wrangling among his advisers over
ways of extricating the reconversion
program for industrial strife:
/. A new wage-price policy that
will allow wages to be raised to area
or industry levels, the pattern for
which has been set in several cases
by Federal fact-f1nding boards or
Government proposal.
2. The easing of price controls to
enable employers to meet the pre-
scribed level of wages and still re-
ceive a fair profit, which in most
instances will be earnings averaged
in the 1936-1939 period. OPA was
instructed to grant price relief i'm
mediately upon approval of wage
boost, instead of waiting as under
present policy to determine effect of
higher wages on industrial opera
tionS.
8. The Office of Economic Stabili-
zation, abolished last fall on the
resignation of Economic Stabilizer
William H. Davis, will be re-estab-
lished under the Office of War
Mobilization and Reconversion. Just
how independent the new agency
will be of Reconversion Director
Snyder will be determined by Mr..
Truman's order setting up the Office,
to be issued shortly.
Bowles New Sterilization Head.
4. Appointment of Price Admin
istrator Chester Bowles to head the
new OES and hold the new wage
price line White House aides in
sisted Mr. Bowles would make his
own decisions, would have the same
authority as possessed by Mr.. Davis
and his predecessors, but they re-
fused to say whether his actions
would be subject to veto by Mr.
Snyder.
5. appointment of Paul A. Porter,
(See WAGE-PRICE, Page Az.