| Show Speeds Proposal to Head Off Steel Strike I WASHINGTON March 19 Ml The member 18 Wage Stabilization tion Board 11 W S B goes into a marathon session Wednesday to frame recommendations for or settling settling settling set set- the big steel labor dispute The W S B having already rejected rejected re re- an offer from its industry members to give ive the C CIO I 0 Steelworkers Steelworkers Steel Steel- I workers a cents an hour boost in pay and other benefits raced against timeA time A walkout of workers in the nations nation's basic basie steel industry industry indus indus- indusi i try is threatened for or midnight Sunday Many officials believed it will be headed off C I 0 O Chieftain Philip Murray head of the steelworkers steelworkers' union I was waiting to see sec the W S Bs B's proposed solution before ads advising advising advis advis- ls ing his policy committee committee committee com com- at a meeting here Thursday Thursday Thursday Thurs Thurs- day whether to postpone the walkout I A steel strike would be he a first s clas-s class national disaster Defense I Production Administrator Manly I Fleischmann said Tuesday In a ato statement to the New York Sales I Executive Club he said it would I seriously impair the atomic energy and munitions programs The W S n B has asked for a astrike astrike astrike strike delay at least until April 8 to give the industry and union time to bargain on the basis of I the boards board's findings A few firms including U. U S. S Steel Corp and Jones and Laughlin Laugh Laugh- lin sl said d they might have to start closing down some complex operations operations operations oper oper- Wednesday night to prepare prepare prepare pre pre- pare for a Sunday night strike Generally the industry apparently apparent apparent- ly was gambling against an imminent im imminent im im- walkout delaying shutdowns shutdowns shutdowns shut shut- I downs until the last moment Even if the theY W Y S Bs B's recommendations recommendations are sweet enough to persuade persuade persuade per per- suade Murray to delay the strike they may be too bitter for the industry to accept thus forcing I a strike later on I In this connection a high goy gov ov- ov 1 official told reporters privately that President Truman opposes any trick deal to boost steel prices to offset higher wages fearing it will break the the I dikes against inflation inflations |
