Evening star., 1949-10-28
Government Stresses
Strike Settlement by
Voluntary Methods
By james Y. Newton

methods OF ending the big steel
and coal strikes following Presi-
dent Truman's announcement that
he would not crack down any
time soon on the long shutdowns.
Mr.. Truman cleared the air by
his statement that the twin stop
pages had not reached the
national emergency stage and, in
his opinion, would not reach that
stage for some time to come.
However, the President made GER
tain for the first time that he
will not hesitate to use the strike
injunction feature of the Taft
Hartley Act when he feels COM
PEELED to step in.
The decision of the White House
to keep hands off let the entire
burden of bringing labor peace to
the two basic industries on the
shoulders of 72-year-old Cyrus S.
Ching, the Government mediation
chief.
Ching Continues Talks.
Mr.. Ching was still in New York
continuing his talks with the
United States Steel Corp. in an
effort to find basis on which the
28-day steel strike over free pen
sions and insurance can be settled.
Since both MANAGEMENT and
labor have been holding back
awaiting some action of the Presi-
dent, his announcement of no
breakdown now was believed to
give Mr.. Ching his first real
chance of bringing about set
tlement.
Mr.. Ching was concentrating
on ending the steel strike. There
was no action to bring about set
tlement of the strike of John L.
Lewis United Mine Workers in
the soft-coal fields, now near
Ing the end of the sixth week.
Senator Taft, Republican, of
Ohio said last night in Cleveland
that he agrees with the President
that the time has not come for
using Taft Hartley emergency
powers Senator Taft is one of
the authors of the law.
Il quite agree with the labor
position that the injunctive
process should never be used ex-
cept in great emergency" the
Senator said.
White House Farley Urged.
However. it was pointed out
that under the law the President
need not await development of an
emergency situation before in
voking his authority. He may
crack down when a strike poses
q threat to the national health
and safety.
Some others in Congress thought
the President should act now be-
fore the strike effects become
more serious. Senator Wherry,
Republican, of Nebraska. said that
II Mr.. Truman doesn't realize
there is national emergency now
''he is about the only person in
the country who doesn't"
Senator Humphrey, Democrat,
OF Minnesota, urged the President
to call the striking CIO United
Steel Workers and big steel exec
utives to the White House for a
conference to "See what can be
worked out"
There was no indication that
Mr.. Truman planned to do that,
although his news conference
statements on the situation did
not rule out that possibility.
Murray Demands Free Pensions.
Philip Murray, president of the
CIO and the steel workers, was in
New York yesterday for Demo-
cratic rally, but Mr.. Ching appar-
emily was unable to find a basis
for bringing him together with
United States Steel officials. Mr.
Murray is sticking to his position
that pensions and insurance must
be free to the workers as recon-
mended by a presidential fact
finding board. The steel COM
panies were equally as adamant
that the workers should help sup
port such funds.
The CIO leader declared that
the steel companies with all of
their wealth and power are not
big enough to defeat u.s." Compli-
eating steel peace efforts, Mr..
Murray will be occupied in Cleve-
land all Of next week at the CIO
convention.
There were these other devel-
opments in the strike situation:
/. In Pittsburgh, the Allegheny
Ludlum Steel Co., an important
producer, was negotiating with
the steel workers, and a company
official said he is optimistic that
an agreement on pensions can be
reached. Workers at company
plants are not on strike.
Some Schools May Close.
2. In Indiana, Gov. Henry F.
Schricker called on the States
mayors and town board presidents
to set up machinery to ration a
shrinking coal supply. An In
diana official said that some
schools may be forced to close as
a cold wave hit the Midwest.
3. Eugene E. Grace, chairman
of the Bethlehem Steel Corp, the
Nations second largest producer,
said his company is anxious to
negotiate a settlement with the
CIO.
He made his comment at a
news conference after Bethlehem
had reported it's earnings for the
first nine months of 1949 reached
q record $82,893,402. This was
equal to $8.14 a common share
and compared with $53,183,858 or
$3.50 a share in the like 1948
period.
Directors held their first quar-
terly meeting since the steel work
ers went out on strike October 1
ord declorod tho 11si1o1 dividend of