Evening star., 1949-09-21
Truman Asks Steel Strike DELAY
Of Six Days. Calls on Both Sides
To Resume Bargaining at Once
Ching Optimistic;
Bethlehem Ready
To Reopen Talks
By jones Y. Newton

President Truman today re-
quested a new six-day postpone
ment of the Nationwide steel
strike set for Saturday midnight
and asked the United Steel
Workers and the major steel
producers to resume collective
bargaining on a new contract i'm
mediately.
Mr.. Truman'S requests were re-
.ceived by union and company
representatives participating in a
mediation session with Cyrus S.
Ching, Federal conciliation chief,
who had visited the White House
two hours before.
After his visit, Mr.. Ching had
told reporters he was optimistic
over the chances of averting a
strike. One new hope also had
come q short time earlier when
enc OF the major producers, Beth
lehem Steel, said it is willing to-
"give consideration" to the pension
and insurance recommendation
OF the Presidents finding
board.
Philip Murray, president Of the
steel workers, said the unions re-
ply to Mr.. Truman's request will
be decided on at the unions Policy
Committee meeting in Pittsburgh
tomorrow.
The Dig steel companies said the
President would have their answer
to his proposal within "a hours.
Both Sides May Heed Appeal.
Federal officials believed that
both sides would heed Mr.. Tru-
mans appeal to call off the big
strike which threatens to cripple
the Nations economy.
The letter frcm Mr.. Truman ad-
dressed TO the steel disputants in
care Of Mr.. Ching marked the
third time that he has intervened
III TIE dispute over pensions and
social Insurance arrangements for
the steel workers, which the union
insists must be supported entirely
by the employers.
In mid-July Mr.. Truman OBJ
tanned a 60-day strike truce by ap-
pointing a fact finding board to
study the issues in dispute. A
week ago. he obtained Today
delay in the strike. That dead
line expires at midnight Saturday.
In his letter. the President said
Mr.. Ching informed him that it
was highly unlikely the union
could reach agreement with the
industry on the pension insurance
issue before the strike deadline.
Reiterates Support of Board.
The Presidents fact-finding
board, ruling out a fourth-round
wage increase for the steel work
ers. recommended that the COM
panies should grant 10 cents per
hour per worker for pensions and
social insurance, 6 cents of which
was to support retirement pay
ments to which the workers would
contribute nothing.
Mr.. Truman reiterated that the
boards recommendation was a.
fair one which had been acclaimed
as such by the entire country.
He told the steel makers and
Mr.. Murray's union that they
should resume collective bargain
ing Immediately. using the boards
pension and insurance suggestions
as . basis for arriving at a new
contract. He said he saw no rea-
son why such an agreement could
not be worked out.
Deadline Would Be September 80.
If the union and the companies
accept Mr.. Truman's suggestion
the strike deadline would be post
poned until midnight September
30. The President said that since
the issuance Of the boards report
10 days ago he had made q thor
ough study of the document and
found it to be very fair report.
Mr.. Ching has been attempting
(See STEEL, Page A-3.)