Evening star., 1951-08-27
Copper Industry
ParaIyzed by
National Strike
Union Urges Truman
To Seize Works VituI
To Defense Program

Americas vital copper industry
today was paralyzed by a strike
which will shut off 95 per cent of
the production of this strategic
defense metal.
A union estimate said $4,000
workers would leave their jobs.
officials of the Mine, Mill and
Smelter Workers Union (inde-
'pendent) urged President Tru-
man to seize the industry as work
ers began walking off the job at
z a. m. across the country.
Short Tie-up FOreseen.
There appeared little likelihood
the Government would allow the
strike anything but a short life.
A tie-up last month at the Utah
operations of one company alone
forced Charles E. Wilson, Mobili-
zation Director, to dip into the
copper stockpile for $4,000 tons to
feed urgent defense production.
There was no immediate indi-
cation of Mr.. Truman's attitude
toward the seizure request.
II don't have anything on that
at this moment" Joseph Short.
White House press secretary, said
when asked about it.
do you foresee anything during
the day?" he was asked.
II think you'll have to take
things as they come" Mr.. Short
said.
The House Committee on Un-
American Activities. in a 1949 re-
port entitled Communism in
Labor" branded the Mine. Mill
union Communist dominated"
And it asserted that Maurice
Travis, secretary-treasurer of the
union was a Red.
Ousted in CIO Purge.
Last year, the CIO ousted the
organization in purge of unions
under Red influence. A CIO
investigating board made this
report:
1.-The parallel between the Com
munist Party and Mine, Mill
policy. which is clearly demon
strated by the 1938-1941 pendu-
lum swinging of both organiza-
tions, is further revealed by the
happenings since 1945.
Notably since VI Day, the ap-
proach to foreign and domestic
policy in terms of the interest Of
the Soviet rather than those Of
the workers of the United States
becomes increasingly evident
According to The Daily Worker.
Travis quit the Communist Party
when the Mine. Mill union de-
cided to comply with the Taft
Hartley Act in 1949 and sign the
nom Communist affidavitS.
Federal Cancellation Fails.
The union called the walkout
after Federal conciliators had
failed to obtain an agreement on
wages with the Kennecott Copper
Co. that would serve as a pattern
for other big Western producers.
Cyrus Ching, Federal Mediation
and Cancellation director, worked
for IL hours in a final effort to
avert the strike. Smelter workers
accepted the proposal, but Kenne-
colt refused.
The union said the Government
proposed pay rises averaging 16
cents an hour and a pension
plan to cost about AZ cents an
hour additionally.
In its wire to the President the
union declared:
Refusal by Kennecott and
other producers to accept the
Ching proposal puts the respon-
sibility for the shutdown on them
and therefore we ask that you use
your powers to have the Govern
ment take over the industry i'm
mediately and put the Ching pro-
Iposal into effect"
Fears Economic Burden.
A. S. Cherouny, Kennecott
|negotiator, said here:
Acceptance (of the Ching pro-
posaD would establish pattern
that would impose economic bur-
dens upon the entire non-ferrous
Industry.
"The company is willing to SUBJ
NIT to the Wage Sterilization
Board, for their recommendation.
the question Of how far it may
|go in meeting union demands. It
feels (the Ching proposaD may
exceed allowable limits under ex-
(See COPPER, Page A-3.)