Evening star., 1952-06-03

'SAt NHoItv SpInloh. F0Qe A.
Congress Split Widely on Course Of Action
in Steel Situotion. Poee AS
Curb on All Of Presidents Emergency
Powers Is doubted. Poee A.
days and watch developments be-
fore taking any action. An official
said the President hoped Congress
would give him emergency powers
to deal with the crisis.
But there was no indication Mr..
Truman would ask Congress inn
mediately for specific authority
to seize the vital steel industry.
Government seizure of the mills
without specific authority was
ended yesterday by the Supreme
Court.
Bill in Senate Committee.
Mr.. Truman apparently as
sumed the attitude that the next
move now was up to Congress.
Twice IN the last two months
the President has suggested that
the legislators give him the au-
thority to take over important in
oustries involved in labor disputes.
The Senate has been working on
such bill. But it has not been
voted out of the Senate Labor
Committee.
Both the steel companies and
the striking CIO United Steel
workers expressed a willingness
to resume bargaining in the six
month-old wage dispute. However,
neither side made any affirmative
move in that direction.
The 650,00c workers in the basic
steel plants quit work yesterday
within minutes after the Supreme
Court ordered the Government to
return the seized mills to their
owners.
The workers have been without
a contract since January when
their old agreement with the
companies expired.
Hold Out for WSB Formula.
They are holding out for set
tlement proposals made March 20
by the Federal Wage Sterilization
Board. The proposals called for
wage increases of 171a cents an
hour through next January l.
They also called for fringe"
benefits valued at 81a cents an
hour and the union shop.
The best industry offer to date
was for 171z cents an hour in
wages and other benefits. There
has been no bargaining between
the parties since White House
conferences broke down a month
ago
There were several courses open
to President Truman when he de-
cides to act. However. none was
certain to bring about a settle
ment of the long dispute or to end
the strike.
/. The President could send a
strong message to Congress urg-
ing special legislation to cope with
the crisis.
2. He could call in the dis
putants for new bargaining ses-
sions. In that event the nego-
tiations probably would be run by
John R. Steelman, assistant to the
President.
3. Mr.. Truman could invoke the
national emergency provisions Of
the Taft-Hartley Act.
Writ Action Consumes Time.
The latter step provides for an
80-day court injunction against
a strike. But it is a time -consum-
ing process. Before applying for
an Injunction the President first
must have received a report of q
special fact-f1nding board on the
dispute.
In the past. Mr.. Truman has
refused to use Taft-Hartley on
the grounds the union already
had postponed strike action for
more than the 80 days provided
by law.
The union did postpone a strike
five times. The walkout yesterday
was the second in the long dis
pute. The steelworkers went out
April 20 for four days after Dis
trict Court Judge David A. Pine
ruled seizure illegal.
Officials said Mr.. Truman still
was reluctant to use Taft-Hart-
ley. He was described as feeling
that an injunction would not set
tie the basic wage dispute and
might add new fuel to the heated
controversy.
Miners Defied Injunction.
But in the end the President
may be forced to use the injunc-
ton approach. Even If he does,
there is no assurance the strike
would end. John L. Lewis miners
successfully defied an injunction
in their 1850 strike.
John A. Stephens, vice pres
ident Of United States Steel Co.,
and an industry spokesman, said
the companies were willing to re-
sumo negotiations with the union
at any time. He said the mill
owners would "sit down with the
union without delay to try to
reach a fair settlement of the
steel strike"
CIO President Philip Murray.
who also heads the steel union.
also suggested a renewal Of wage
talks. He had said the Supreme
Court action ending seizure left
the union without a bargaining
There was no al
he added. but to strike.
Mr.. Truman ordered the steel
mills returned to their owners a
few hours after the Supreme
Court held that seizure was illegal.
The mills had been operated
technically by Secretary Of Com
merce Sawyer.