The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-06-04
10000 STEEL
WORKERS OUT
26, 900 COAL MINERS,
SIS, 900 RAILROADERS
ARE IDLE OR
UNDER LAYOFF


OF workers idled In the nation
wids steel strike climbed near
ss0, 900 today with the White House
summoning both industry and un-
ion leaders to q capital conference
Thursday.
In addition to 65O,0O0 members
of the Clio United Steelworkers
who refuse TO work without con-
tract, also idle-or under layoff
erders--are 20, 900 coal miners and
more than $4,000 railroaders.
River towboat crews and other
workers In allied industries swell
the total idle to near II, 900, in
GLIDING some 10000 iron ore min
ers who stopped work in sympa-
thy with the Steelworkers.
The steel walkout cut produc-
ton Of defense-important steel by
about 80 per cent.
Officials of the six biggest steel
producing companies gathered in
New York for closed huddle this
morning.
It's aim: To invite Steelworker
Chief Philip Murray to resume
bargaining talks within 40 hours.
Murray, president Of both the CIO
and the Steelworkers. had no com
ment.
Meantime in Washington Chair
man Maybank (D.-S. CT of the
Senate Banking Committee readied
an amendment to the Defense Pro-
duction Act. This proposal report
eddy might give the President
emergency powers to seize the de-
fense-vital industry.
Maybank says he wants to end
the strike ito protect the boys in
Korea =
Murray and the industry cut off
formal negotiations when the fed.
erai government took over the bill
lion-dolIar steel properties.
Murray wants to bargain. He
said so In the same breath as he
ordered his union to hit the bricks
Monday minutes after the u. S.
Supreme Court called federal sci
xure illegal under the Constitution.
But though both sides indicated
willingness to sit down and talk
contract--to replace the labor pact
that expires Dee. 31--there still
appeared little prospect that a ne
gotiated peace would be reached
soon.
Murray said he viii settle for
nothing less than the recommends
tons of the Wage Sterilization
Board. This provided a 26la-cent
an hour package to Steelwcrkers
whose hourly earnings now aver
age $i.s5.
Steels best offer was a 17Ia-
cent package.
Defense Production Administra.
tor Henry H. Fowler, who took
over the job only Tuesday, pre-
dicted shortage OF some types
Of steel fer certain military prof.
ects by Friday. He declared:
"A stoppage of anything beyond
four or five days would seriously
interfere with production. AN in.
dustry source in the steel city said
Fowler apparently referred to JET
plane output.
Actually there Is a substantial
stockpile of steel, estimated vari.
ously TO be sufficient for 30 TO
70 days production.
But certain types Of steel are
In shorter supply and Fowler pre-.
dicted a month-long strike would
sorce some major manufacturing
companies to shut down These
Ne declined to specify.
Altogether only $4,000 men in
The U. S.. the worlds largest steel
producing country, are at work
pouring out about IS. 900 tons Of
steel = day. The normal daily out.
eut Is over SOC. 900 tons.
Half Of the still-onsthe Job work.
IRIS are clio members whose firms
lave contracts with the union. The
remainder are in plants not or.
sanlzed by the uSW.
Less than a hours after the
Steelworkers quit work and banked
he furnaces the companies laid
of 26,ooo coal miners. Four rail.
roads also furloughed workers.
s,s0o by the Illinois Central. GOO
w the Joliet and Eastern; 2.oo0
m the New York Central and 2oo
~ the Indiana Harhor Belt.
Thursday. 5000 Pennsylvania
Railroad workers have been or.
aered 70 stay home until further
notice. And these iayoffs are ex.
pected to grow and grow each day
The steel strike lasts.
There has been talk. even among
some Of the Idle SteelworkerS, thai
president Truman may invoke the
faft.Hartley Act to end tire walk,
vat.
Sen. Robert A. TAFT IN. -ohlol,
seeking the Republican preSiden,
dial nomination, wants the Taft.
Hartley Act used Immediately. He