Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-12-20
u. Opens Talks
On Steel Accord
As Hopes Fade
Ching Meets Murray
And Leaders Of
10 Firms at StutIer

|
talks with steel industry and
union officials in an effort to head
off a Nationwide strike set for
New Years Day.
Taking part in the meeting
called by Federal Mediation Chief
Cyrus S. Ching were top leaders
of the CLIO United Steelworkers
and officials of 10 big steel-pro-
ducing companies. The meeting
still was in session at 1890 pm,
two and one-half hours after the
start.
AS he went into the conference,
Philip Murray, president of both
the CLIO and the Steelworkers,
told reporters he had not changed
his earlier opinion that the Jariu-
airy strike seemed inevitable.
Settlement Hopes Fade.
Actually, Federal mediators
have little hope of settling the dis
quite over Mr.. Murray's demand
for a 15-cent general wage in
crease and score of other issues
in the conference.
If his efforts fail to resolve the
dispute in a few days, Mr.. Ching
lis expected to turn the case over
to the White House. where it will
be certified to the Wage Stabilza-
Ition Board. The board then would
offer to arbitrate the dispute.
John A. Stephens, vice presi-
dent OF United States Steel Corp,
the industry's largest producer,
refused specific comment as he
entered the talks at the Statler
Hotel.
This is just the beginning, !"
Mr.. Stephens.
Mr.. Murray has called the
walkout for midnight, December
81, when present contracts expire.
Felt Settlement Possible.
Until the past few days, Gov
ernment experts and steel indus
try spokesman felt the threatened
walkout could be avoided some
how, by q settlement or at least
a strike postponement.
Now they feel quite differently.
They say privately, as Mr.. Muir
ray said publicly last Monday.
that strike in the vital metal
producing industry seem inevitable.
Several developments are re-
sponsible for this reversal in ap-
praising the situation. One is
that Mr.. Murray apparently has
ruled out in advance the idea OF
bowling to a personal appeal from
President Truman to cancel the
strike order, or to delay it. Mr..
Murray said categorically his men
won't work without contracts after
present agreements expire.
Secondly. John L. Lewis, the
coal miners union chief who was
once Mr.. Murray's closest crony,
has publicly cheered Mr.. Murray
on. Mr.. Lewis told a packed news
conference yesterday that the
steelworkers deserve a raise and
the steel industry ought to grant
one.
Lewis Offers Help.
Moreover, Mr.. Lewis offered
help to the steelworkers, without
saying exactly what sort of help
in case the threatened steel strike
comes off.
The Lewis comments, it Is felt,
put Mr.. Murray in the position of
being egged on by a top fellow
labor leader. making it all the
harder for Mr.. Murray to retreat.
The idea that a steel strike,
even though it may be only a
short one, is in the cards also was
bolstered by Mr.. Murray's action
in calling special union conven-
ton for January 3 at Atlantic
City.
This would enable the steel
workers union itself, rather than
Mr.. Murray as an individual, to
take the responsibility for ending
or continuing the strike, presum-
ling that it will have started New
Years Day.
Other steel companies repre-
sented were Bethlehem, Republic.
Jones & Laughlin, Armco,
Youngstown, Wheeling, Inland.
sharon, and Great Lakes steel
companies. They are the ten
companies with directors on the
American Iron and Steel Insti-
tute. Together. they produce
about 10 per cent of the Nations
steel.