Evening star., 1952-04-15
|WSB Head Tells Probe
Steel Seizure Was
Only Practical Course

UnlY PRACTICAL I0urSe
Nathan p. Feinsinger told SEN
ators today the Wage Stabiliza-
ton Board legally recommended a
basis for settling the steel dispute
He insisted President Truman had
to risk seizing the industry.
The WSB chairman was the
first witness as the Senate Labor
Committee opened hearings on
the steel situation.
Mr.. Feinsinger contended the
Presidents action was the only
practical alternative he had last
week. He said lit meant the
difference between life and death
in maintaining national security.
He defended the board as hav-
ing been clearly within it's right
in proposing a wage increase
fringe benefits and a union shop
as a basis for settlement.
Question Up to Courts.
Refusing to give an opinion on
the Presidents inherent rights, -
Mr.. Feinsinger said the question
would have to be decided by the
Supreme Court.
But he insisted Mr.. Truman had
to run the risk of an adverse court
decision at some future time. The
Situation last week was so serious
he explained, the President could
not have endangered production
by using provisions of the Taft
Hartley Act in seeking a court in
junction in event of a strike by
the union.
Any board of inquiry would
have needed at least a week to
study the WSB recommendations
the chairman estimated. There
also would be the problem of get
ting qualified public members, he
said. He added that public men,
bers are pretty expendible these
days."
SOnSlUcE MORSE BILL
The committee hearings were
broadened from their original
purpose to consider a bill by Sen
ator Morse. Republican, of Ore
gon. That bill would set up formal
procedures to be followed before
seizure. 1t would provide not only
for fact-finding methods but also
for presidential notification to
Congress. Moreover, it would as
sure private companies of ample
opportunities to protect their
rights and property in court.
Committee Chairman Murray
announced that the hearings also
would consider the Presidents S
message last Tuesday on the
seizure order. He added, however,
that the inquiry would not go into
the question of legality of the
seizure. Senator Morse disclosed
that he will introduce a bill to-
morrow aimed at returning the
steel mills to their owners.
Outlines Provisions.
He said he disagreed with Presi-
dent Truman in the seizure. He
nevertheless conceded that the
President has unusually broad
powers in time of emergency.
Senator Morse outlined the pro-
visions of his new bill as follows:
l. Immediate return of the
mills to their owners and adoption
of the WSB wage recommended
ton:
2. A ban on imposing the union
shop on the companies during the
emergency:
3. Allowance Of compensatory
price increases in accordance with
established policies of the eco
nomic controls program.
Sees Hope of Settlement.
Mr. FeinSinger did not comment
on the Morse bill.
He reported there was "a good
foundation for hopes" of settling
the steel dispute up to the dead
line for the calling of a strike
last Tuesday midnight. He said
real progress was being made dur
ing the last two days. If the
President had moved under the
Taft Hartley Act to seek an in
junction practically all chance of
Ia settlement would have been lost,
he said.
Elsewhere there were these de-
velopments in the steel situation:
l. Acting Defense Mobilizer
John r. Steelman indicated little
progress had been made toward
a settlement of the dispute. How
ever, Mr.. Steelman was still trying
to bring the steel producers and
CIO United SteelWorkers into con-
tract agreement. He said "both
sides seemed more interested than
before in talking over" the dead
locked situation.
2. Industrial leaders from over
the country met in closed session
to lay plans to prevent future
Government "encroachments on
private properties" The meeting
of ITO industry leaders was called
by the United States Chamber of
Commerce and the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers.