| Show Victor Riesel Back of Steel Strike Threat Far be it from me to invade President Truman's privacy more than need be he But theres there's one telephone tt N C call a II 11 he lie put putI I t through h l' l 0 ugh on onI I i C Christmas h r i s t mas 4 Eve which should h have a v ve e ep p been switched E on a par party t y line for mil mil- milIj millions lions to hear K y r. r y Ij There a are l' l e very few of Mr i Riesel us who were not affected by it it For that call was put through to Ph Phil l Murray l a weary embattled labor leader at the mo crisis ment in what will be known as the steel war of the winter of 1951 52 It has been reported by an erudite gentleman and mediation mediation media media- tion lion expert named Merlyn l Pit- Pit zele that Mr 11 Truman in effect effect ef ef- ef- ef feet promised Phil Murray 1 that the C CIO I 0 Steelworkers would get what they wanted if they didn't strike Deal Furthermore Mr 11 who is of considerable repute in n national a t i ion o n a l 1 labor circles quotes both Mr 11 Truman and the C CIO I 0 chief Since this would mean a secret pact between between be be- tween two men which gives the million steelworkers a pay increase package of over and nd junks all rules by which the rest of us have b been en paid for our daily stints under wartime controls controls all all without so much as talking to toa a single steel company executive tive theres there's there's theres been considerable considerable considerable consider consider- able teeth grinding bitterness in business circles Until today the White House and Philip Murray have refused refused refused re re- re- re fused to confirm or deny the almost verbatim report of the holiday conversation Today by those who have entry r to Mr 1 Truman's inner circle I Iam Iam Iam am told that this report is dishonest dishonest dis honest and without substance And And that all Mr 11 Truman Trunian Mr 11 Murray 1 was to postpone the steel strike in the country's country's country's coun coun- try's interests This Mr 11 Murray Murray Mur Mur- ray agreed to do Industrialists Angry However Howe neither the thc fury of the White House over the telephone telephone telephone tele tele- phone leak nor the denial today today to to- today day by one of Mr 1 Truman's colleagues has convinced the angered industrialists t that hat h a t tsuch such a pact was not actually made Many lany of them feel they might as well save their hotel tabs and leave Washington instead instead instead in in- stead of presenting their case caseto caseto caseto to the special six-man six panel This is unfortunate for the panel consists of a most honest group of men fully aware that they are about to set the new wage standards for the nation Now if you watch closely you'll see how labor crises are born Mr 11 Murrays Murray's men who tend the fiery furnaces which spew out the weapons that make war hell for the enemy deserve a raise There is no doubt that the special panel will come within a penny or orso orso orso so an hour of what Phil Murray Murray Mur Mur- ray expects for his million followers fol fol- fol- fol lowers lowers about about 8 a week or a package of an hour The C I 0 O will take it There will also be other benefits such as asa asa asa a union shop for the entire steel industry which it doesn't have now Price Boost Next Since all this will cost about a year more the steel companies of course will demand immediate price in in- creases Some of them will be granted But how But how much That's the crisis question The steel industry already has an agreement from the Office of Price Stabilization for a ton a-ton price hike This is to cover increased costs under the law law up up to the current wage negotiations with Mr 1 Murrays Murray's union The industry will also want 4 and 5 a ton over the which it already has in the bag Actually at this moment it itcan itcan itcan can be reported that the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House is opposed to any further further further fur fur- furI I ther price increases Heres Here's I where the steel industry may get stubborn and use the alleged alleged al aI- al- al I telephone call quotes as its evidence that Mr 11 Truman favored steel labor over steel business If the businessmen refuse to togo togo togo go along with the boards board's decision decision decision de de- de- de next Feb 21 Mr 11 Murray Murray Murray Mur Mur- ray will do what he hopes to avoid cripple avoid cripple U. U S. S steel production production pro pro- Certainly neither labor nor industry leaders want a strike It now appears however that only Mr 11 Truman's statesmanship statesmanship statesman statesman- I ship can get us steel Did he or did he not promise too quickly in that phone call I |
