The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-06-10
TRUMAN ASKS
(Continued From Page Onel

1 lAONLtAlN AoNo
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meet it by enacting fair and eff
tfective legislation
| Mr.. Truman said the seizure Law
he recommended should not pre-
vent the government from chang
ing wages and working condition:
during the period of government
operation.
The government had planned te
raise wages under the origina
seizure but was blocked from do
ing this by Supreme Court order
If Congress should authorize seiz,
ure but forbid a wage rise, Mr.
Truman said, ''the seizure would
mean that workers would be com,
PEELED to work indefinitely without
a change in wages. no matter how
much such a change might be jus,
| titled.
Since the owners of the property
are entitled under the Constitution
to "just compensation the presi.
dent went on. ban on wage
raises for workers would be lob.
viously not equal justice under
law"
Mr.. Truman's request was laid
down at a time when. the Senate
was already considering numerous
proposals for dealing with the steel
situation.
One of these is a move by Sen.
Byrd (D.-Va.) for the Senate to
request that Mr.. Truman act un-
der the Taft-Hartley Law and seek
a court order against the strike.
In apparent reference to that
Mr.. Truman said: 81 want to make
it very plain to the Congress that
the result of using a Taft-Hartley
type injunction in this dispute
would be to take sides with the
companies and against the work
ers."
He said too that he thought it
might be futile" in restoring pro-
duction.
, ''0ur national security depends
upon our total economic strength,
and steel is a basic element in
that strength" Mr.. Truman said.
consequently, we are faced
with the imperative need for get
ting most, if not all, of the ma
tons steel mills back into pro-
duction yer promptly.
"There are several possible
courses of action that might be
followed. However, believe there
are two main possibilities. One of
these is government operation of
the steel mills. The other is the
use of a labor injunction of tn
type authorized by the Taft Hart
ley Law. The Congress can choose
either of these two courses. / can
not. could only use the Taft
Hartley approach. In my judg-
ment, that is by far the worse of
the two approaches.
Consequently, / feel that
should put the facts before the
Congress, recommend the course
of action l deem best, and call
upon the CongreSs--which has the
power to do Soto make the
choice"
All radio and televiSion networks
carried the Presidents extraordi-
nary address.
When the steel peace talks col.
lapsed Monday night both the in.
dustry and the union said: I'VE
have given assurance to our gov
eminent that we will cooperate
in assuring production of military
requirements essential TO our
forces engaged in combating Com
muniSt aggreSsors.
As followup to this the White
House called in top defense and
production officials to discuss this
afternoon the arrangements for re-
suming enough steel production to
meet critical defense require
ments.
Presidential Assistant John r.
Steelman said Defense Secretary
Robert Loyett, Munitions Board
Chairman John Small, Defense
Production Chief Henry II. Fowler
and White House Aide David Stowe
would so over the entire list of
defense needs and decide how
much production is necessary.
Steelman's office also said Steel
man. who is acting defense mobili.
Ter. probably would meet later in
the day with officials Of the steel
industry and the Steelworkers
Union.
The nations output of steel is
down TO an estimated l2la Der
cent Of normal capacity. For di.
rect defense needs--no; Including
defense support production
to strengthen European defeuses
against Communicable armed
forces use approximately IS per
cent Of total output. But the mill