davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-05-11

wage increase to force an agreement
between union and company negotia-
tors. Since the temporary wage
freeze" caused White House negotia-
tions to break down, there has been
no known effort to revive the talks.
All sides are waiting on the court.
And the court may have its say in
a week or so.
Meanwhile. however, another i'm
portant event is coming up in steel.
The CIO United Steelworkers open
their annual four day convention in
Philadelphia Tuesday. The union,
headed by CIO President Philip Muir
ray has about 1,250,00O members.
About half of them work in the basic
steel plants which were seized by the
President. Most of the others work in
plants which make things of steel.
The latter group, for the time being,
is not involved directly in the big dis
pute. But these 100000 workers will
want the same settlement received
by their brothers in basic steel. What
ever that settlement happens to be,
some of the hundreds of steel fab
ricating companies are bound to re-
sist paying it. So it seems certain
that there will be an undetermined
Evening star., 1952-05-11

Wage Sterilization Board. which has
been under heavy fire since its steel
wage decision? The answers to these
questions probably will not be forth
coming for some time.
Several considerations, in the
meantime, are worth bearing in
mind. One is that the comparatively
mild slump in business already has
made it far more difficult for unions
and managements to agree on new
contract terms.
Because of uncertainty as to what
the future may hold, management is
reluctant to get into long time con-
tracts for higher wages. And man
agement has become more and more
impatient of Government interven-
ton in their disputes with labor.
Here is the situation in the various
key industries involved in labor
troubles.
Evening star., 1952-05-11

nothing was said about 1t publicly.
The department policy was that these
shortage cases were so numerous that
the whole farm program would be
threatened if all were prosecuted.
Congressman Step In
A subcommittee of the House
Appropriations Committee got after
the Agriculture Department for fall
ing to send more people to jail. Then
the Senate Agriculture Committee
took up the campaign with $4,000
investigation that slowly has reached
the front pages.
The exposures are startling. The
Agriculture Departments Dallas
= (Tex.) Office was shown to be infested
with inefficient, gift-taking officials
who negligently let Government
grain disappear from storage. One
third of the warehouses in the area
were short. =. ... e-
i. In Missouri, a former internal
revenue commissioner joined some
Democratic pals IN forming a special
COA41Pd11y W 1CdoC UO11O1llSS 4IOII1 CIlc
War Assets Administration and then
use them to store grain for the Agri-
culture Department. Another spe-
cially formed company did the same
thing. One turned a fabulous profit;
the other turned up short $414,O00
worth of grain. In both cases. the
Government came off badly.
ArtfuI Dodgers
No committee could investigate all
the shortages, which now involve mil
lions of dollars, but some classic ex-
amples were exposed. One ware
houseman covered up a shortage for
two years by a simple device. Every
time Government inspector came
around, the warehouseman explained
that the Governments commodities
were in another warehouse-in an
other inspectors jurisdiction. He told
Evening star., 1952-05-11
By EorI H. Voss

zone always has been smaller than
in the rest of the country.
Russio Gets Hers
OF course, the Kremlin doesn't take
this licking without compensation.
Little Austria, smaller in area than
the State of Virginia and with pop
ulation under z million, yields all of
its petroleum products, sulfuric acid,
fiat glass, rayon f1lalnent yarn, light
bulbs and electric locomotives to the
Soviet Union. These are made in he
Soviet zone in plants seized by the
Russians as German assets" In 3D.
dition the Kremlin has a corner on
Austrian production of turbines, elec-
trical equipment and soap. The So
viets also operate $50 enterprises, en-
ploying $4,000 persons. on sort of
extraterritorial basis. These busi-
nesses do not conform to Austrian
tax, license. consumer. or sanitation
laws. AS a result, Austria has lost
about $50 million in taxes and freight
charges. besides the $50 million an
nual drain in oil exports and Soviet
profits accrued in capitalistic busi-
ness enterprises.
To any small country, the Soviet
Evening star., 1952-05-11

number of strikes, even after settle
ment of the main dispute.
g Heretofore. acceptance by the steel
companies of the Governments pro-
posed package" has been presumed
to hinge on the size price increase
the administration would allow the
industry. However. the demand for
steel has slackened noticeably. If
the trend continues. the price aspect
of the dispute will become unim-
portant. It would be questionable
whether the steelmakers could get
the higher price even if allowed to
quote it. This situation already has
stiffened the operators resistance to
a negotiated settlement.
The steel companies repeatedly now
are saying they would not agree to
two of the wage board proposals re-
gardless of the price increase they
are allowed. One is the union shop.
The other provides premium pay for
Sunday work starting next Janu-
ary !.
Evening star., 1952-05-11
The Labor Situation
By jones Y. Newton

On the surface. as this new week
begins. the Nations labor-manage-
ment relations are calm. But it is a
misleading. ominous calm. Beneath
the surface, pressures are building up
to explosive strength.
Some old and tough labor disputes
continue to occupy the stage. They
involve the steel. oil. railroad and
telegraph industries. A new dispute,
in the electrical industry, is edging
into the scene In the background,
and likely to come on stage at any
moment, is fight affecting another
basic industry-coal.
Despite an annoying strike by a
comparative handful Of oil workers,
the really big labor dispute continues
to be the one in steel. The eyes of
negotiators in literally hundreds of
other cases over the country are fixed
to see what happens in this case. The
steel negotiators, in turn, are eyeing
the Supreme Court. They want to
know what the court will do about
President Truman's seizure of the
44AA4Ao. w IA O41C OOu1 . uCGXo&O11 O11 II1C
legality of seizure pave the way for
settlement of the five-month- -old dis
pute? Or will the ruling provide the
spark to set off the bomb which long
has threatened to explode in this
vital industry? There was hope of
quick answer to these questions. The
suspense. meanwhile, was excruciat-
ing.
Business Prospects
Other questions, too, are affecting
labor relations at the moment, and
the answer to these may eventually
have an even greater effect than the
steel decision. One is the future pros
pect for business and industry. Will
business pick up under the impetus of
renewed consumer demand for goods
and continued high-level Govern
ment buying? Or will the big mar
kets, as the economists say. continue
to soften? Present wage and price
controls will expire June 30. What
will Congress do about extending
them? viii Congress abolish the
Evening star., 1952-05-11
By james {. Roper

the same story to the other inspector.
The two inspectors never got to-
gether.
Another type of irregularity
showed up in Edmunds County,
S.. Oak. County committeemen-
part-time Agriculture Department
employees who watch after the stor-
age plan-personally stored grain for
the Government. They agreed among
themselves, however, not to check on
each other. The result: Grain Short
ages that will cost the taxpayers.
The Big Time
The Agriculture Department at first
blamed most of it's troubles on mar
ginal warehousemen who didn't know
their business. but stored grain on
an emergency basis during heavy
crop years. Now, however. storage
irregularities have shown up in a
deal with Cargill, Inc, the biggest
grain dealers in the United States.
Cargill bought old oil tanks near
Norris City, ILL.,, and used them to
store corn for the Agriculture De-
partment. Cargill's grain experts
presumably knew the corn would not
keep well in such dead storage. Car
gill, however, got a unique contract
from the Government. This contract
guaranteed Cargill payments of $612,-
500 for one year. and the Government
remained responsible for the condi-
ton of the corn. 1t rotted. The
Government is losing 100000 to 81
million. In addition. the Govern
ment-victim of some legal legerde-
main-has paid Cargill two fees of
$37,500 for outloading the same grain.
Cargill also clipped the Agriculture
Department for an extra profit of
$500,000 to 81 million on the sale of
grain for export. The department
paid for the wheat at high spot prices,
but let Cargiu deliver it several
Evening star., 1952-05-11
Austria Is Getting Along Spite Of the Russian Milestone

tria's best customers traditionally
have been her neighbors. The cold
war long ago disrupted the normal
pattern Of Central European trade,
and more recently the re-armament
efforts of NATO countries have pre-
vented them from taking much of
Austria's output.
Modernizotion
Austria will try to compensate for
its new problems by undermining its
industrial plant and by instituting
stringent stabilization program. If
House of Representatives committee
which recently toured Europe has its
way, Austria will not get much more
American money for industrial ex-
pansion. This group reasons that
further investment could not be
counted on to help the general West
ern defense effort. It also fears that
the products of these industries, or
possibly the industries themselves,
would find their way into the Red
orbit. The. Congressman do favor
continued aid, however, in food and
other goods, to encourage Austrian
tendencies toward the West.
The Austrians still have hopes that
some way can be found to get the
Russians out of their hair. But this
would require peace treaty. Mos
cow simply Is not interested in one.
The Soviets stand to lose too much.
Persistent efforts (258 meetings. by
the United States, Britain and France
to bring the Soviet Union to terms
on a treaty have been frustrated by
the Kremlin. Moscow has not even
bothered to answer the Big Three'S
note of last March suggesting a new
plan for a settlement. A new Big
Three note Friday chided the Com
nunists for not responding.
The pea debt" incident serves to
emphasize the Soviet attitude toward
leace. At one point negotiations on
he treaty were broken off until
Vienna paid for some dried peas
which the Reds had supplied early in
the occupation. Viennese officials
claimed the peas were spoiled when
delivered, but the Kremlin bargain
ers got their money before the treaty
negotiations were resumed-only to
break down on yet another point.
Chancellor Figl and the other
Austrian people are aware that it
takes lot of patience to wear down
the Soviet Union. While alien proph-
cts Of doom mouth conflicting ideolo-
gies up and down their land. how
ever, the Austrians cling to their
traditional optimism. They just put
another Viennese waltz on the
phonograph and let their sense Of
humor take care Of the rest.
Evening star., 1952-05-11
4. Railroads

There are two major disputes here.
The railroads have been operating
under Government seizure since
President Truman seized them in
August, 1850. He used a specific
law. one passed in World War I. This
is the difference between the railroad
and steel seizure cases. In the steel
case, the President had no specific
law to back him up; he used so-called
inherent powers. The extent of these
powers is the question now before the
Supreme Court.
One Of the two rail disputes-the
one which led to the seizure of the
industry-started more than three
years ago. Involved are all of the
railroad unions and three whose
members run the trains-,the engi-
neers, the conductors and the fire.
men.
Heot Is On
Presidential Assistant Steelman in
recent days has been turning on the
heat, driving for settlement of the
railroad case. He may succeed any
time. Wage issues repeatedly are
largely resolved. Workers employed
in rail yards and terminals would get
a boost of 81 cents an hour. Those
engaged in over -the-road operations
would get raise of 221a cents. With
consent of the managements. the
workers already have received a
"down-payment' raise from the Gov
ernment-their first increase in four
years.
A couple of issues remain to be
settled, both demands of the rail-
roads for changes in so-called work
ing rules" One would lengthen the
runs" made by train crews. The
other would expand the contract
definition of the yard or terminal
area, where wage rates are lower
than they are ION the road"
The second rail dispute concerns
the demand of million "non-oper-
ating" workers for a union shop.
Congress made it legal year ago
for rail workers to receive the union
shop if they could get it. Two months
ago, board appointed by the Presi-
dent said they should have it. Some
big railroads, like the New York Gen.
trail and B. & o. have granted it..
Government mediators are attempt
Evening star., 1952-05-11

Robinson has uppermost in mind:
l. How many members should serve
on the council? Unofficial views of
the board at present indicate range
of from IL to Is members.
2. How should the advisers be
chosen? Solution to this question Is
very much up in the air. The
general emphasizes that the council
will certainly be racially rep
resentative. And the members
must be the "best qualified, he says.
But whether they will be chosen
geographically or from the city's
various groups of interest--whether
they will be elected at large or ap-
pointed by the Commissioners-the
problems remain to be worked out.
The roster of the old council was
formed by elections within the Fed.
Grafton of Citizens Associations,
which supplied six members, and the
Federation of Civic Associations.
which supplied two. The ninth mem.
ber Of the 1925 council was the Citi-
zens' Federation president, serving as
chairman eX oficio of the advisory
body. All had to be District residents
and active in organized civic work.
Its members included physician. an
attorney. newspaperman. banker,
a Federal employe and an engineer.
The 1850 Citizens Federation pro-
posal called for five members to be
elected by the Federation five to be
appointed by the Commissioners and
the 11th post occupied by the Fed
Grafton president serving as in 1925.
3. What about the councils func-
ton? Gen. Robinson acknowledges
that the city heads have yet to define
what they mean by getting advice ON
matters of broad policy" Indica-
tions are that guidance on legislative
proposals would certainly be sought.
The council also would probably adj
wise on fiscal and budgetary affairs.
But beyond that, no details have been
agreed upon.
Top Of the List
It will be matter of months be-
fore the Commissioners get the an
swers to all the reorganization ques-
tions. But the very first to be settled
and by July 1-concerns the advisory
council. That is why the city heads
have extended public calls for assist
ance.
Gen. Robinson declares that the
Commissioners need citizen counsel
from the outset If the reorganization
plan Is to succeed. Commissioner r-des-
ignate Camalier sounds the rallying
call tn the citizens. "C0me nit ~
hiding. Take your place on the front
lines. This is wonderful idea. and Q
wonderful opportunity"
Evening star., 1952-05-11
Advisory Council
D. {. Commissioners Eager to Organize 1t
To Broaden Participation in Government
By John w. Stepp

~ SOUt
When a citizens advisory council
Is established as part of the Districts
reorganized government it will fill a
20-year void.
The seriousness of the void is made
explicit by Engineer Commissioner
Bernard L. Robinson. He is creator
of the overall reorganization plan
that will become effective July l,
unless majority in Congress un-
expectedly takes a disliking to it.
Says the general:
THE Commissioner should take no
major step without consulting the
public. The citizens should have a
part in their government. In Wash
ington where there is no vote, a
special mechanism for formal express
sion of the public's views must be
provided"
The answer, he feels - and the
feeling is heartily shared by his fell
low Commissioners is a council
formally to advise the city heads on
matters of broad policy.
1925 Boord
The last time this concept pre-
vailed was in 1925. The views of that
advisory group were widely respected.
Congress even had the reports of
that council printed as public docu-
ment. But the pressure of handful
of other groups, apparently dis
pleased over the councils influence,
brought about its abandonment in
the early 1930s.
Until 1850 the advisory council
idea remained in limbo. In that year,
however. the Federation of Citizens
Associations revived it, and urged its
readoption by the Commissioners.
Then early last year. District Bud
get Officer Walter L. Fowler made
room for an advisory body in his pro-
posed reorganization plan. Although
Mr. Fowler's program was not accepted
by the present CommissioEers-fun
damentally. his plan called for city
manager setup-inclusIon Of. citizen
advisers impressed the municipal
chiefs.
Gen. Robinson seeks no credit for
emerging with the adviser idea.
MY only interest Is that all ele-
ments of the community have conf
dence in the Board of Commission
ers. he asserts. A major means Of
achieving this confidence. he feels. is
the selection of a representative
group OF citizens to relay the public
wishes to the city heads on formal
basis.
Three Bosic Problems
Admittedly, the details of how this
will be done are only in preliminary
planning stage. Here are just a few
Of the basic problems which Gen.
Evening star., 1952-05-11
5. Telegraph

Some 10000 employees of Western
Union have been on strike since April
g. They are represented by the AFL
Commercial Telegraph Union and are
employed i'm all major centers over
the country except New York City.
where an independent union holds
sway.
The telegraphers' union originally
struck for higher pay, 40-hour week
and some 40 other demands. Western
Union said the demands would cost
$50 million a year and that it could
not afford to pay anything. Media
ton efforts broke down here Friday.
At last reports. the. union had re-
treated greatly from its original posi-
ton, and the company was making
- demands of it's own One was that the
union give up the union shop.
The company says the strike is
breaking and that the strikers are
returning to work. Company officials
report near-normal service in most
places. The union denies its lines are
weakening. But it is obvious Western
Union has the labor union over q
barrel.
Evening star., 1952-05-11

time in the aluminium and IRON
mining industries. The union here
too. is the CIO Steelworkers. The
demands are virtually the same as in
steel. Two of the three big aluminium
companies are involved. They are
Kaiser Aluminium and the Aluminium
Co. of America. A large part
of the iron ore mining industry Is
involved in the other dispute. Both
controversies are before the wage
board for its settlement recon-
mendations. Both are awaiting
settlement in steel.
Evening star., 1952-05-11

One Of the showcases Of Americas
good intentions abroad Is Austria,
historic pivot state of Europe. Pos
sibly because its people have stood at
the vortex of contending European
powers through the ages, they have
not panicked-scarcely winced-at
the roar of the Goth Century Russian
bear.
They speak out in loud. clear
voice. For the most part, they run
their own affairs, even though they
are still under four-power occupation
(American, British, French and
Soviet. Reconstruction OF their
country is just about completed. The
standard of living is almost back to
normal. New industrial plants are
being developed with the aid OF
American dollars. All these things
have been accomplished without
peace treaty, and in spite OF a $50
million a year penalty extracted by
the Soviet Union.
In the forefront of AuStria's dogged
comeback has been one Of the small
band of Austrian leaders who sur
vived the horrors of Nazi concentra-
tion camps, Chancellor Leopold Figl.
America will learn to know this man
better in the next two weeks, during
his state visit here.
Mr.. Figl, who arrives in New York
today, stands at the head of a strange
coalition which in itself is proof OF
the Austrians' determination to go
their own way. His Peoples Party.
strongly Catholic and conservative,
represents about 40 per cent Of the
popular vote. The other member Of
the coalition is the Socialist party,
headed by Vice Chancellor Adolf
Schaerf, which polled just under 40
per cent in the last election. These
two parties, poles apart in political
theology, manage to present more
or-less united front to the four-power
control council. Recent inflationary
pressures have been a real test Of the
Austrian rivals craftsmanship in
keeping the coalition alive. But so far
they have always managed to keep in
mind, as Mr.. Figl puts 1t In a Dor
rowed phrase, that "if they do not
hang together they viii hang separa-
tely."
Inverted Veto System
The strange political marriage ii
Austria's ruling parties could not
have carried the day except for an
American inspired ground rule
pushed through the control council
under the sponsorship Of Gen. Mark
Clark. This provision deprives the
Soviet Union Of most Of the vete
\
Evening star., 1952-05-11
3. Petroleum

An estimated 10000 workers en-
gagged in the production. refining and
distribution of oil and oil products
have been on strike for higher wages
for 10 days. The strike has cut off
about 80 per cent of the Nations oil
supply, threatening shortages Of
gasoline for both military and civilian
uses. Already the Defense Depart
ment has taken conservation meas
ures. Some gasoline dealers here and
elsewhere have started rationing.
The workers are represented prin-
Evening star., 1952-05-11
Other Industrial Disputes Beset the Nation,

ing to settle the dispute with the re-
mainder of the roads. Strike action
is not imminent.
Evening star., 1952-05-11
6. Electrical

The big General Electric Co. is
threatened by strike of 10000 of its
employees represented by the CIO In
ternational Union of Electrical Work.
ers. The company also is having
trouble with the left-wing United
Electrical Workers, which the CIO
kicked out in a purge several years
ago. In both instances. the issue is
wages under contract re-opener.
The company has offered an increase
in line with the cost of living. The
unions are demanding something
more.
The CIO union has set strike for
Thursday. Its Executive Board will
meet in New York Wednesday to de-
eide what to do. Government media
tors believe they can head off the
strike. at least for the time being.
Evening star., 1952-05-11
z. Aluminium and Iron Ore

Disputes paralleling the big one in
steel have been going on for some
Evening star., 1952-05-11
7. Coal

There is no dispute or strike here,
but Government officials and mine
operators alike are wondering when
and how John l.. Lewis and his United
Mine Workers will move. Under terms
of the present coal work pact, Mr..
Lewis could have served 60-day notice
February of termination of the con-
tract. He has been ominously silent,
and forecasting Mr.. Lewis moves is
notoriously hazardous. Nevertheless,
he undoubtedly has had these things
in mind:
l. It is to his advantage to hold of
his demands until he sees what the
SteelworkerS get in the way of wage
settlement. Then he can hit for more.
2. He probably would do we'll to
await final congressional action on
new mine safety legislation. A bill
giving the Federal Government au-
thority to enforce safety measures in
the mines passed the Senate last
week. 1t has good chance in the
House. Mr.. Lewis wants this law
badly. A move on his part at this
juncture might lessen the chance of
getting IL.
3. The Nations stockpile of coal
"above ground" is the largest in years.
Demand for coal is light; the market
is very soft" Many coal miners are
working only two or three days a
week now. Many coal operators
wouldn't seriously object to a strike.
Mr.. Lewis might be well advised to
wait for the coal market to
strengthen. y
But both Federal officials and the
mine operators know that, whatever
Mr.. Lewis does, he will do in spec
tacular fashion. And the man with
the shaggy brows is keeping them on
the edges of their seats waiting.