Evening star., 1952-05-14

and soul and spirit behind the
United Steelworkers of America. :"
Mr.. Tobin received a tumultu-
Gus ovation from the 5000 dele
Supreme Courts Steel Ruling Moy Not Be
Mode This Month. Puqe AZ
Steel Crisis BIomed by Buruch on Piece
meal Mobilization. Pooe AZ
gates as he addressed the con-
vention of the embattled CIO
steelworkers.
He said that the only way to
settle the five-month-old steel
dispute was through acceptance
Of the recommendations of the
Wage Sterilization Board" The
board proposed 26-cents-an-hour
increases in wages and other ben
efits. The union accepted. The
steel companies rejected the
recommendation.
New Strike Threatened.
sie AS Mr.. Tobin spoke the Million
member Steelworkers' union threw
out new threats of NATIONWIDE
strike unless the industry agrees
quickly to new contract con-
tanning the Wage Board proposals.
Some union delegates even in
dicated they might want more
than the 26-cent package"
If they Company ofdcials)
want to bargain" Joseph Ger
mano, a Chicago union leader
said, I'VE will bargain. But only
on . 22-part program. Else we
will shut their damn plants
down."
The 22-point program referred
TO the unions original demands
before the Wage Board reduced
them substantially.
Numerous other threats of strike
eeme from the convention floor as
the delegates considered a resolu-
ton dealing with their wage dis
pute. It read in part:
I'VE cannot and will not con-
tinue indefinitely to work in 1852
for 1860 wages and working condi-
tionS. We cannot and will not
continue indefinitely to work with
out satisfactory collective bargain
ing contracts"
Bargaining at Standstill.
There has been no bargaining
between the union and steel COM
panieS since the Supreme Court
agreed to review the legality of
President Truman's seizure of the
steel mills. The President acted
April 8 to head off a strike.
Mr.. Tobin said he was warned
before leaving Washington that he
should be careful what he said be-
cause Of the precarious nature of
the steel dispute. He said he was
told he should be Impartial, that
he couldn't takes sides.
"Well, I don't agree with them,"
the cabinet officer told the cheer
ing delegates.
Mr.. Tobin said the time for i'm
partiality was before the Wage
Board made its ruling in the steel
wage case nine weeks ago. After
the WSB ruled, he continued, lit
was proper for the American peo-
pie to line up behind the recon-
mendation of that board and get
both parties to accept them.
Explains Position.
IF either party agreed to accept
the recommendations of that
board" he said, then it was prop
er for the American people, in the
interest Of our defense effort, to
stand behind that party. And if
any party rejected the recon-
mendations Of the board and re-
fused to yield in the National in
terest, then it was proper for the
American people to stand against
that party"
Mr.. Tobin said "I don't feel any
obligation to be impartial. want
you to know that from the mo-
ment your great president. Philip
Murray, signifled the union would
accept the recommendations of
the board. I have stood heart and
soul and spirit behind the United
Steel Workers of America" Mr..
Tobin said that steel company
profits are so large that they can
well afford to raise steel wages
substantially without requiring a
large price increase.