Evening star., 1951-02-10
Ching 'sBoard
- =.
Can 'tAgree: on
Thawiing Wages
Wirtz and Cole Are
Possible Successors
If He Leaves Post
BY the Associated Press

trying hard to find an over all wage
policy to replace the temporary
January 26 freeze, may not come
up with one until late next week
II then.
The board, headed by Cyrus S.
Ching, can't agree on how far to
thaw out the freeze. Mr.. Ching
intends to return to full-time duty
as chairman of the Federal Me-
diation and Cancellation Service
as soon as firm wage policy can
be worked out.
He has headed the wage board
since last October 10. If and
when he does resign from the
board, possible successor is w.
Willard Wirtz, acting administra-
tive director of the wage board,
or David L. Cole, a Paterson, N. j.,
labor attorney.
It seemed probable today that
the three labor members of the
wage board may not vote for any
wage formula at all. That would
leave it up to the three industry
and three public members of the
|nine-man board to come to terms.
Mr.. Ching is one of the public
members.
Flemming Choice Protested.
Meanwhile, four other labor
leaders wrote a vigorous letter Of
protest made public today, to
Defense Mobilization Chief Charles
E. Wilson. The four said they
don't like Mr.. Wilson's appoint
ment of DR.. Arthur S. Flemming
to be chairman of a defense man
power committee. They spoke out
in support of Secretary of Labor
Tobin'S efforts to retain control
of the Nations civilian manpower
program
Against the background of those
wage-front developments came
this price announcement from the
Government: Wholesale prices
continued their 13-week record
breaking climb for the week end
February 6.
The labor leaders who wrote the
letter to Wilson are William
Green, president of the American
Federation of Labor; Philip Muir
ray, president of the Congress Of
Industrial Organizations; George
E. Leighty, president of the Rail-
way Labor Executives Association,
and A. j. Hayse, president of the
international Association of Ma
|chinists. They wrote as members
of the United Labor Policy Com
mittee. Their letter, dated Feb
ruary said DR.. Flemming's ap-
pointment completely disregards
the considered recommendations
of the United Labor Policy Com
mittee. representing Is million or
ganiZed workers."
Mr.. Wilson announced DR..
Flemming's appointment as his
labor boss despite determined ef-
forts by Mr.. Tobin to keep man
power policy-making and super
vision in the Labor Department.
Both Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Tobin
had carried their fight for control
over the Nations civilian man
power to President Truman.
Tobin Control Favored.
The protest against DR.. Flem-
ming's appointment was appar-
emily aimed at persuading Mr..
Wilson to give him only consulta-
tive powers while leaving the real
direction and control of labor
within MIR Tobin's defense man
power Office.
In announcing the Flemming
appointment, Mr.. Wilson said a
Labor Department representative
would be one of a seven member
committee to serve with him.
Other agencies to be represented
were Defense Department, Selec-
tive Service, Civil Service Com
mission, Wage Sterilization Board.
Agriculture Department and De-
fense Production Administration.
The committees assignments
were to advise Mr. Wilson on the
ALLEGATION of manpower resources
between civilian and military
needs. prepare plans for manda-
tory labor controls if Congress
gives authority for them, and
make recommendation for closer
coordination of manpower use
with production and wage-price
control programs.
On the wage thaw, public mem
bers OF the Sterilization Board
have been proposing that wages
be allowed to rise-if employers
are willing-no higher than about
10 per cent over levels of last
June, or even some earlier date.
But the board has had trouble
agreeing that 10 per cent fits the