Evening star., 1949-07-15

NASS>OAA~s
-AP Wirephoto.
| Steel
Continued From First Page.)
own steelworkers union and in
the CIO.
If the President could bring
about a settlement before mid
night. the strike orders could be
revoked, and blast furnaces stocked
up again.
Already furnaces had been
banked in many steel centers
anticipating the walkout. These
included a number of Carnegie
Illinois. a United States Steel SUBJ
sidiary. at Chicago. and Gary
Ind. Steel firms also were lay
ing off workers in advance.
Two of the six major companies,
Jones & Laughlin and Wheeling
Steel, and a number of smaller
ones previously had agreed to go
along with the Truman proposal,
to permit the fact-finding board
to function. If agreed on, the
board would report by Septem-
ber /.
Mr.. Fairless insisted that Mr..
Truman was bypassing the Taft
Hartley Act by giving a find
ing board the right to suggest a
settlement. He argued that 50
long as that law is on the books,
Mr.. Truman Is bound to use it.
Inquiry boards under Taft-Hart-
ley are barred from recommending
settlement terms.
Truman Explains Action
But Mr.. Truman told his news
conference yesterday q steel strike
would not Immediately threaten
the national health and safety.
and therefore Taft-Hartley emer-
gency powers could not be in
voked for some time after a total
shutdown.
Although Mr.. Truman said the
Epanel's recommendations would
not bind any Of the parties,
public opinion would be an in
fluence in support Of any finding
by an impartial agency in view OF
the dire threat to the economy
from q ytrike.
The consequences of a long steel
strike could be far-reaching. but
auto production was expected to
continue high. at least for a time.
in event of q walkout.
The Automobile Manufacturers
Association recently said their in
dustry has its biggest steel stock
pile since before the war-enough
to 60 three weeks without feeling
it. and for six weeks before closing
auto production lines.
Others Accepting Plan.
In addition to Jones g. Laugh.
lin and Wheeling Steel, those
companies which already have &C.
cepted the Truman fact-findine
plan and consequently are ex.
empted from strike. included
Colorado Fuel & Iron, Copper.
weld. Portsmouth Steel. Pitts.
burgh Steel. Continental Steel and
Sheffield Steel.
These last six firms were among
SO invited Wednesday by Cyrus s
Ching. director of the Federal
Mediation and Cancellation Serv-
ice. to participate in the fact
finding. A number Of others in
that group hove not been heard
from.
The Steelworkers Union saic
that. barring last-minute changes
more than 10000 of the half.
million workers employed in tn.
basic industry will be involved II
the strike.
i The union has nearly anothel
half-million members employed
mostly in steel fabricating plants
Those companies will be subjec
to shutdown when the period O.
. grace in their contract reopening
; expire between now and October
! Personnel Big Factor.
Many. of the big steel com.
panies repeatedly are concerned
about the men Mr.. Truman will
appoint to the hearing board. Thai
probably is an important factor
in the reluctance of some of the
companies to accept the proposal
One large producer, Inland Steel
Corp. of Chicago, conditioned ac-
Iceptance on approval Of the Pres
Fident's selections to the board.
The union has asked for a wage
increase, pensions for old en-
ployes and improved worker in
surance arrangements. Before the
negotiations became deadlocked,
most of the talk had been about
10 20-cents-per-hour pay boost.
and United States Steel reported
that Mr.. Murray demanded $3.50
monthly pensions.
The steel companies said they
could not boost wages and that
the subject of pensions legally
could not be raised by the union
at this time The contract be-
tween the union and companies
does not expire until next April
30, but 1t contains provision for
reopening on wages and other
issues. 4
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