Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-09
Truman 10 Cooperate
If Congress Wants
Specific Steel Law
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course, he glad to cooperate in
developing any legislative pro-
posals which the Congress may
wish to consider
Asked for Power Before.
If the Congress does not act, the
President said. Il shall continue
to do all that is within my power
to keep the steel industry operat-
ing and at the same time make
every effort to bring about a set
tlement of the disputes so the
mills can be returned to their
private owners as soon as pos
Sible."
1t was recalled that in early
1850, before the Korean crisis, Mr..
Truman asked Congress for spe-
cifc power to seize the Nations
coal mines. 1t was at a time when
the miners refused to obey court
injunction to end strike. That
dispute was settled, however, be-
fore Congress acted.
Mr.. Truman Serzed the industry
In a last-hour move to avert an
economy Gripping strike set for
last midnight.
CLIO President Philip Murray,
who also heads the United Steel
workers, ordered his $4,000 men,
bers in the basic steel plants to
stay on the job as soon as he heard
of the seizure action. The men,
who were scheduled to strike an
hour later, readily complied.
But remaining unsettled was the
bitter dispute over wages and other
contract issues, which led to the
steel crisis.
Mr.. Truman announced the plan
to take over the industry when
Government efforts in New York
to mediate settlement failed.
The talks conducted with the dis
putants by Federal Wage Chief
Nathan P. Feinsinger apparently
were almost successful.
Secretary Sawyer said he has
no present plans to change work.
er pay rates or working conditions
to interfere with company profits
or finances. But he has authority
to do so under the Truman order.
Tough Policy Indicated.
There was every indication the
Government planned to be tough
with the steel producers. Mr.. Tru-
man said in his message over radio
and television that the union OF
Mr.. Murray was right in the dis
pute and that the producers po-
Sition was wrong.
The Presidents speech obviously
was hastily assembled. He bitterly
attacked the industry for mott
accepting the contract proposals
of the Government Wage Sta
bilization Board which, he said,
were fair and equitable"
He said the industry could well
afford to pay the higher wages
and other concessions. Mr.. Thu
man described the producers de-
mand for price increases about
the most outrageous thing I ever
heard Of"
IF we broke our price-control
rules for STEEL" Mr.. Truman said,
II don't see how We could keep
them for any other industry. =. j
Never So Profitable.
1.-The plain fact is+though most
people don't realize 1.-THE steel
industry has never been so profit
able as it is today-at least not
since the 'proflteering' days OF
World War l."
They are raising all this hull
labaloo in an attempt to force
the Government to give them a
big boost in prices" the President
said.
They want something special,
something nobody else can get. =
The plain fact of the matter
Is that the steel companies are
recklessly forcing shutdown OF
the steel mills. They are trying
to get special, preferred treatment.
not available to any other in
dustry. And they are apparently
willing to stop steel production to
get it."
Mr.. Truman said a steel stop
page would halt production OF
shells, bombs and planes going to
the Korean fighting front. He said