Evening star., 1951-02-22
Johnston May Answer
Labor Leaders Today
On Wage Formula
BY the Assoeioted Press

Economic Stabilizer Eric john
ston arranged another meeting
today with labor leaders who were
hopeful he would decide to raise
the wage ceilings recommended a
week ago by the Wage Stabiliza-
ton Board.
Mr.. Johnston has been con-
ferring with the three public
members of the wage board and
with the labor leaders in an effort
to win back the support of the
United Labor Policy Committee,
which directed it's members on
the wage board to walk out.
AFL President William Green
said he thought Mr.. Johnston
would have a decision ready at
the 2 pm. session scheduled with
Mr.. Green and three other CO.
chairman of the ULPC. They are
CIO President Philip Murray, who
will be represented by General
Counsel Arthur j. Goldberg; AL
j. Hays of the machinists, and
George E. Leighty, chairman of
the Railway Labor Executive As
sociation.
Resignation of the three labor
members of the wage board after
the public and industry repre-
sentatives had teamed up to adopt
a 10 per cent ceiling on wage in
creases above January Is. 1850,
levels had threatened the future
of the board itself.
Wilson Renews Offer.
Mr.. Johnston, anxious to pre-
serve the three-way makeup of
the board, has been trying to
work out a solution satisfactory
to labor but without offending the
two other elements on the board.
Should he fail in persuading the
labor policy group to get back on
the board. it is possible a wage
agency of all public members
would be set up. Mr.. Johnston
said that had been discussed at
his meetings Tuesday and yester-
day with Chairman Cyrus S. Ching
and other public members of the
board, along with some labor law
yers and William H. Davis, chair
man of the War Labor Board in
World War II.
Mr.. Johnston has as a special
labor adviser AFL Vice President
George M. Harrison. Mr.. Green
said the AFL favored moving Mr..
Harrison into a labor advisory spot
with Mobilization Director Charles
z. Wilson, and that will be dis
cussed at meeting tomorrow.
Mr.. Wilson, in a new letter in
the series of communications be-
tween himself and the ULPC, yes
terday renewed his offer to estab-
lish such a job if the labor leaders
would agree on somebody salts
factory to them.
Farm Leaders Also Protest.
The labor committee has as
serted that Mr.. Wilson and the
Truman administration favor "big
business" and that the wage for
mula now up for Mr.. Johnston's S
approval or rejection had been
dictated by Mr.. Wilson. This was
hotly denied by Mr.. Johnston and
the public members of the wage
board.
Nevertheless. the labor group,
concerned about being left out
of the mobilization planning, as
they put it, was creating what
could develop into a crisis in the
mobilization program.
President Trumans concern
with the situation was indicated
yesterday by the unannounced
attendance at the Johnston meet
ing with the wage board members
of Charles S. Murphy, special
White House counsel.
Labor was not the only group
exhibiting dissatisfaction with the
organization for mobilizing the
nations defense resources. Mr..
Wilson and Mr.. Johnston met
yesterday with farm organizations
which also are asking for repre-
sentation at the policy level
Mr. Johnston told reporters
later he was sure he would name
a spokesman for agriculture to a
high advisory post comparable to
that of Mr.. Harrison.