Evening star., 1949-07-11
Ching Seeks 10 Avert
Steel Strike by Talks
With Both Sides Toda,
By the Assoeioted Press

The steel labor crisis swept into
Washington today in its rush to-
ward a possible Nation wide strike
next Saturday.
Seeking to avert a vast steel
shutdown, Cyrus S. Ching, di'
rector of the Federal Mediation
and Cancellation Service. prepared
to review the dispute with both
sides this afternoon.
He invited to the conference
Philip Murray. president Of the
CIO United Steel Workers o1
America, and officials of several
large companies including the
pace setting United States Stee,
Corp.
Before the negotiations between
the union and United States Steel
fell apart last week in Pittsburgh
the union argued that the COM
pany could raise wages as much
as 20 cents an hour and still
reduce prices and make a SUBJ
stantial profit.
The company said higher wages
would mean higher prices, and il
refused any wage increase at all
Disputes over pensions and in
tsurance benefits were deadlocked
too.
New Nathan Report Due.
The union has never formally
demanded a specific wage figure.
But Arthur Goldberg, the union S
general counsel, said in an inter-
view that a 20-cent figure was
used in the negotiations by way
of illustration. United States
steel says the average basic hourly
wage is now $l.69.
In that connection, Mr.. Murray
planned to fortify himself by
bringing out today-in his other
capacity of president of the CIO-
new report by economist Robert
R. Nathan to help justify the de-
mands of CIO unions for a fourth
postwar round of wage raises.
Steel workers got raise of 1872
cents in 1916. IS cents in 1947 and
13 cents in 1948.
The CIO issued the first Nathan
report in December, 1916. 1t was
an opening blast in the 1947 drive
for a second round" Mr.. Ma
than held that total corporate
business could grant pay raises
averaging Is per cent. and manu-
featuring industries 81 per cent
without raising prices.
Tomorrow, Mr.. Murray goes
back to Pittsburgh to preside over
the Steelworkers' Policy Commit
tee as it considers ordering a July
16 strike-only five days from to-
day.
Such strike would be OF
enormous significance not only in
the steel industry but to all in
dustry.
Might Involve 100000.
1t would Immediately involve
about 100000 workers covered by
contracts whose no strike
clauses expire July 16. 1t might
eventually involve about 10000
workers in basic steel mills and
steel fabricating Arms. This would
be roughly thei size of the four
week steel strike of January-Feb-
ruary. 1946, which was the larg-
est single strike. in American his
tory.
Such a strike, too. would soon
make it's effects felt in other in
dustries Qike autos) that depend
on steel products. But how soon
or whether, it would ever imperil
the national health or safety
for purposes of the Taft-Hartley
Act-Was not known. In such
cases, the Government may, seek
an injunction to keep an industry
running for 80 days. =.
Steel Magazine speculated yes
terday that Mr.. Murray might be
inclined to go along with President
Truman on such action. 1t de-
clared:
I'm view of deteriorating eco
nomic conditions over recent
months it is believed by some trade
authorities the union would be
agreeable to such postponement
of action"