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steel
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 3, 1952
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STEEL
COMPANIES AND THE STEEL WORKERS UNION, SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1952.
I have asked you to meet here today to reach agreement
on the issues in dispute between you.
As President of the United States, representing all the
people of the country, I have two principal interests in this matter.
First, it is absolutely necessary, for the safety of the
country, that steel production must continue during the emergency.
I cannot reveal, even to you people here, the exact
situation with regard to the supply and production of military
items. I can only say, on the considered advice of the officials
in charge of our defense program, that the safety of our troops
fighting in Korea, and the safety of our Nation in the present world
crisis, depend on the uninterrupted production of steel.
Second, it is essential to the economic health of our
country and the welfare of our people that wage and price in-
FRUMAND
creases in the steel industry shall be held within the limits of
"NATIONAL
sound stabilization policies.
ARCHIVES&
RECORDS
A runaway inflation in this country could wreck our
the
economy and impose terrific hardship on millions of families.
These are heavy stakes. And they impose an equally heavy
responsibility on everyone of you to act in the national interest.
Because of the vital importance of uninterrupted produc-
tion of steel, I was forced three weeks ago to direct the Secretary
of Commerce to operate the mills. That action is now being challenged
in the courts, as is entirely proper. None of us know how soon it
will be decided.
In the meantime, the mills are under Government operation.
I have said many times that the idea of Government operation
of the steel plants is thoroughly distasteful to me. I have had to
operate the coal mines one time and I didn't like that either.
I
want it ended as quickly as possible. The best, the quickest, and
the most equitable way for this to be done is for the companies and
the union to bargain out the issues in dispute and agree on a settle-
ment.
That is what I am asking you to do now. And I am asking
you, as the Head of the greatest government in the world, to get
down on earth and talk to each other without any ill feeling, and
to get this thing done.
I am sure you are aware that the Government has bcen con-
sidering what are fair and reasonable wages and working conditions
for the employees during the period that the plants remain under
Government operation.
Two weeks ago, the Secretary of Commerce asked the
Economic Stabilization Administrator to prepare recommendations
for changes in terms and conditions of employment in the steel
industry at this time. Those recommendations have now been com-
pleted, and the Government will be prepared on Monday morning,
or as soon as we can get ready, to order changes in terms and
conditions of employment to be put into effect.
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"ocrText": "steel\nIMMEDIATE RELEASE\nMAY 3, 1952\nSTATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STEEL\nCOMPANIES AND THE STEEL WORKERS UNION, SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1952.\nI have asked you to meet here today to reach agreement\non the issues in dispute between you.\nAs President of the United States, representing all the\npeople of the country, I have two principal interests in this matter.\nFirst, it is absolutely necessary, for the safety of the\ncountry, that steel production must continue during the emergency.\nI cannot reveal, even to you people here, the exact\nsituation with regard to the supply and production of military\nitems. I can only say, on the considered advice of the officials\nin charge of our defense program, that the safety of our troops\nfighting in Korea, and the safety of our Nation in the present world\ncrisis, depend on the uninterrupted production of steel.\nSecond, it is essential to the economic health of our\ncountry and the welfare of our people that wage and price in-\nFRUMAND\ncreases in the steel industry shall be held within the limits of\n\"NATIONAL\nsound stabilization policies.\nARCHIVES&\nRECORDS\nA runaway inflation in this country could wreck our\nthe\neconomy and impose terrific hardship on millions of families.\nThese are heavy stakes. And they impose an equally heavy\nresponsibility on everyone of you to act in the national interest.\nBecause of the vital importance of uninterrupted produc-\ntion of steel, I was forced three weeks ago to direct the Secretary\nof Commerce to operate the mills. That action is now being challenged\nin the courts, as is entirely proper. None of us know how soon it\nwill be decided.\nIn the meantime, the mills are under Government operation.\nI have said many times that the idea of Government operation\nof the steel plants is thoroughly distasteful to me. I have had to\noperate the coal mines one time and I didn't like that either.\nI\nwant it ended as quickly as possible. The best, the quickest, and\nthe most equitable way for this to be done is for the companies and\nthe union to bargain out the issues in dispute and agree on a settle-\nment.\nThat is what I am asking you to do now. And I am asking\nyou, as the Head of the greatest government in the world, to get\ndown on earth and talk to each other without any ill feeling, and\nto get this thing done.\nI am sure you are aware that the Government has bcen con-\nsidering what are fair and reasonable wages and working conditions\nfor the employees during the period that the plants remain under\nGovernment operation.\nTwo weeks ago, the Secretary of Commerce asked the\nEconomic Stabilization Administrator to prepare recommendations\nfor changes in terms and conditions of employment in the steel\nindustry at this time. Those recommendations have now been com-\npleted, and the Government will be prepared on Monday morning,\nor as soon as we can get ready, to order changes in terms and\nconditions of employment to be put into effect."
}