Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-03-31

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Steelworkers today postponed
Indefinitely their wage talks.
President Truman today faced
the three-fold task of finding q
successor to Charles E. Wilson as
defense mobilization director.
saving the wage-price control
program, and averting Nation.
wide steel strike.
Mr.. Wilson, mobilization direc-
tor since December, 1850. resigned
suddenly because he could not
accept public responsibility for
major sterilization actions which
I cannot control"
The resignation resulted from
"a disagreement with the President
on how to prevent steel strike
that might start April 8. Mr..
Truman, in accepting the resig-
nation effective today. declared
the Wage Sterilization Boards
proposals for, settling the steel
wage controversy are reasonable.
He said they do not constitute
a..y real breach in our wage
sterilization policy"
Steel Groups Meet.
Steel industry and Go United
|Steelworkers representatives met
lin New York to resume talks. But
the week end development dimmed
hopes of progress. Industry repre-
|sentatives had less assurance than
ever that they could put through
la price increase to offset q WSB
recommended boost of 171a cents
an hour in wages.
Presidential Assistant John r.
|Steelman has been named acting
director of defense mobilization.
The unexpectednesS Of Mr.. VIII
sons resignation left the President
with a difficult job of finding .
permanent director of the stature
Iof Mr.. Wilson, former head Of
General Electric.
The problem of settling the
steel controversy also became
more difficult because Of Mr.. VIII
sons action and President Tru-
mans stand which. in effect. sides
with CLIO President Philip MUIR
ray. The union chief has an
nounced. that the steel workers
will strike II the industry does not
accept WSB recommendations.
wilson Hits Threat.
Mr.. Wilson has criticized the
WSB proposals as a serious
threat" to the sterilization effort.
His opposition came to q head in
the resignation letter dated last
Friday and released yesterday by
the White House. President Tru-
man, in reply. voiced regret and
paid tribute to Mr.. Wilson'S "vigor,
competence and effectiveness" In
the mobilization Office.
Although both letters were In
friendly and respectful terms,
from a personal standpoint. they
were far apart in policy and ap-
parently left no hope Of an agree.
|ment. Mr.. Wilson, moreover,
wrote bitterly about developments
in the steel wage dispute.
Charges Equity Violated.
Declaring he had conducted his
office on assurances that both
wage and price controls would Be
administered fairly and without
regard to the special demands Of
pressure groups" Mr.. Wilson con-
tinued:
I'm the present steel case I
simply do not believe the WSB's
recommendations and the Gov
ernment's suggested plan Of action
meet the foregoing criteria. This
violates my sense Of justice and
disregards the principle of equity
on which I understood our whole
control program was based.
Further, it still amounts to q
serious threat to the sterilization
of our Nations economy which
involves every American, and to
the maintenance of defense pro-
duction."
Mr.. Wilson related how he few
to Key West last week to confer
with the President. He said he
obtained what he regarded as an
understanding" But, he wrote
the President, you changed your
mind"
Cites Change in Plan.
! "On my inquiring whether. II
the amount Of wage increase
Jointly agreed upon was higher
than the companies would absorb.
your request to prevent q strike
contemplated the possible neces-
sity of allowing the steel com.
panies price increases related TO
tSee WILSON. Page AID
Series on Presidents