Evening star., 1952-04-23
Deliberate Refusal
Of Steel 10 Bargain
Charged by Murray
Industry Seeks to Create
Crisis to Force Price
Increase, He Says

CIO President Philip Murray
charged today that the steel in
dustry wished the Nation to face
a critical situation which they
could then use to force the Gov
eminent to knuckle under to their
price demands"
''They sought, in Short" Mr..
Murray told the Senate Labor
Committee. Ito use the legitimate
needs of the steelworkers. their
wives and their children. as al
eat's-paw to perpetuate a scan
dalous extortion on the American
people.
LET me be quite plain" Mr..
Murray. who also heads the
United Steelworkers, continued.
II charge that the steel industry
deliberately refused to bargain
with our union. I charge that the
lsteel industry refused even to offer
the minimum benefits which were
Icertainly due the steelworkers on
any possible Interpretation of our
stabilization regulations because
they did not want a solution
reached in collective bargaining.
Smokescreen Charged.
''The leaders of the steel in
dustry sought to create a crisis
which they could utilize as al
|smokescreen for an all-out effort
to dictate to the Government the
terms and conditions upon which
they would supply the steel which
the Nation so sorely needs for
defense"
Senators Morse, Republican, of
Oregon, interrupted the witness to
accuse the industry and big busi-
ness in general of trying to impose
a "feudal system" on the American
people "in the name of private
enterprise"
"They talk about ethics in the
Government" he went on, "but
how about these lavish expense
accounts, their whisky accounts,
their entertainment accounts,
their hotel and lobby accounts?"
Charges "DiabOlical'' Lie.
Mr.. Murray asserted that John
A. Stephens, vice president of the
United States Steel Co., uttered a
'diabolical lie" in testifying before
the committee yesterday.
He said Mr.. Stephens gave the
committee totally false impress
sion by listing the average hourly
wage of steelworkers at about
$1.90. Mr.. Murray offered figures
indie ting tina t the average
straight time hourly wage for
United States Steel company
workers $1.78 in January, 1851,
and $1.80 last fall.
President Truman, meanwhile,
under heavy Senate fire because
of his seizure of the steel plants,
stuck to his guns. He. also faced
a House move to impeach him.
A drive in the Senate to force
the President to cancel the seizure
order fell just short of the two
thirds majority vote it required
yesterday. But its Republican
hackers led by Senator Knowland
of California continued their ef-
forts.
Actually 47 Senator'S. II of them
Democrats, voted for the move
and only 20 voted against it. Not
a Republican voted no."
New Probe Ordered.
The Senate Banking Commit
tee ordered a new investigation
Of Government handling of the
steel dispute, which many Of its
members have denounced.
The Banking Committee also
called for a months delay in
drafting a bill to continue wagel'
and price controls past the June
80 expiration date. ]
Members Of the committee said
they now expect the controls will Il
be extended without much change, !
but probably only until next {
March. The administration asked |,
q two-year extension Of controls. Il