Benjamin F. Fairless, President,
U.S. Steel Corporation.
Charles M. White, President,
Republic Steal Corporation.
Arthur B. Homer, President,
Bethlehem Steel Corporation.
In reply to your telegram of July 12 the present situation in the steel industry does not constitute such an immediate peril to the national health or safety as to authorize the appointment of a board of inquiry under section 206 of the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947.
Nevertheless, an interruption in steel production would have serious consequences to the whole Nation. It is obviously more sensible to attempt to prevent such an interruption before it starts than to wait and have the Government step in after a prolonged interruption has reached a point where it does imperil the national health or safety.
The board I am appointing will make recommendations as to fair and equitable terms of settlement. Those recommendations will not, of course, bind either party. Their purpose, instead, is to make it possible for the parties and the public to have the benefit of an impartial appraisal of the issues in dispute.
This is a proper and accepted method of aiding and maintaining industrial peace, and is in keeping with the American spirit of fair dealing.
Surely you are not afraid to have your side of this dispute examined in the public interest.
I trust that you will cooperate in presenting the full facts to the board I am appointing. Please reply.
HARRY S. TRUMAN
Frank Purnell, President,
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company.
A. J. McFarland, President,
Wheeling Steel Corporation.
Thank you for your telegram of July 13. I interpret it to mean that you plan to continue operations and that you will present your side of dispute to the board I am appointing in order that recommendations as to fair and equitable terms of settlement may be made. I hope these recommendations can form the basis for final agreement between the parties.
HARRY S. TRUMAN
Ben Moreell, President,
Jones and Laughlin Steal Corporation.
Thank you for your telegram of July 12 and for your willingness to cooperate in the public interest. I hope and believe final agreement can be reached within the sixty day period.
HARRY S. TRUMAN
Philip Murray, President,
United Steelworkers of America.
Thank you for your telegram informing me of the action of your policy committee in accepting my proposal to continue work and present your side of dispute to the board I am appointing.
HARRY S. TRUMAN
Note: In response to the President's telegrams of July 12 and 13, the presidents of the U.S. Steel Corporation, the Republic Steel Corporation, and the Bethlehem Steel Corporation sent telegrams in which they stated strong objections to the appointment of a board with power to make recommendations as opposed to a board appointed under the Taft-Hartley Act, which would be limited to fact-finding. However, the three companies agreed to cooperate with the President's board with the understanding that there would be no obligation on their part to accept any recommendations which the board might make.
The presidents of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company and of the Wheeling Steel Corporation expressed similar objections but stated that they would continue operations. The president of the Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation merely stated that he would continue operations for a period of 60 days as requested by the President.
The president of the United Steelworkers stated that the union would continue operations during the period in which the collective bargaining agreements were in effect and that he would cooperate with the board appointed by the President.
Harry S Truman, Further Telegrams to Leaders in the Steel Labor Dispute. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/229709