Evening star., 1949-07-16
Truman 'sBoard
Takes0verS Steel
ContractDispute
Final Wage Decision
Nav Become Puttern
For All Industry
picture on Page A-2.)
~ the Asseeiotsd Press


in the steel labor dispute took over
one Of the Nations biggest eco
nomic questions today-should
there be a fourth round" of post
war wage increases?
The three-man board was ap-
pointed last night by President
Truman to end a tense period of
speculation over whether the steel
industry, or big part of it. would
be shut down indefinitely today.
The boards first get-together
was arranged today for II am.
Monday in the Office Of Presi-
Dental Assistant John r. Steel
man.
The boards recommendations on
wages, pensions and insurance
issues in the steel dispute won't be
binding on either the industry or
Philip Murray's CIO-United Steel
workers. But the White House
hopes it will point the way to
settlement.
And how the steelworkers fare
on their fourth-round demands
may we'll become a pattern for
all industry. 1t has happened
that Way before.
Strike Plans Called OFF.
A million steelworkers called off
plans for a walkout to begin last
midnight when the industry's
giants. including the United
States Steel Corp. reluctantly
gave In to the administrations
60-day strike truce plan.
Mr.. Truman appointed Carroll
r. Daugherty. Northwestern Uni
versity professor of business eco
nomics. as chairman Of the i'm
partial panel. Serving with him
will be Judge Samuel I. Rosen-
man. former White House adviser,
and David L. Cole. Paterson. N. j.,
labor relations expert who has
served on other Truman labor
fact finding boards.
The President. relieved by ac-
ceptance of. his peace plan by big
and little steel firms, won some
thing in his exchange with the in
dustrial giants. He was able to
bypass the Taft-Hartley Act in
dealing with a major labor crisis.
Friends of the labor statute were
not too happy about that. but
unions took comfort because of
their recent setbacks in attempts
to repeal the act.
Mr.. Truman insisted on a 60
day strike truce beginning today
and Mr.. Murray quickly consented
for the union. Most of the steel
companies held back until a few
hours before the strike deadline.
Only one previous United States
strike could have matched it. That
was the same unions walkout of
January February. 1946. over the
first round" Of wage increases
following the war. That resulted
in an 1872 cent hourly pay boost
and a IS increase in the cost of a
ton of raw steel.
The three man board has until
August 80 to make its settlement
recommendations to the White
House. The truce is to continue
to September IA.
The board will have to weigh
Mr.. Murray's wage demands, re-
ported to be suggested 20-cent
increase. On top of that, how
ever. Mr.. Murray wants $3.50
monthly pensions for retired steel
puddlers. and a group insurance
plan.
Some companies say Mr.. Mur-
ray can't talk about pensions until
contracts expire next April. So
Mr.. Murray and CIO General
Counsel Arthur j. Goldberg will
have their toughest job trying to
prove to the fact-f1nding board
that the union has legal right
to demand a pension plan now.
John A. Stephens. vice president
In charge of industrial relations
of United States Steel, told re-
porters last week that he and Mr..
Murray had an understanding that
pensions would be forgotten until