Next Move

In the steel crisis, the U.S. had hoped, as usual, that someone would give in. The C.I.O. steel workers, stubbornly demanding a $2 a day raise, would not. Big Steel's Ben Fairless said flatly: there can be no bargaining until OPA boosts steel prices. Last week, OPA also refused to yield. Said OPA Boss Chester Bowles: there is no need for an increase in steel prices at this time.

The earnings of the steel industry in the first nine months this year, said he, were "well in excess" of the profit yardstick of 1936-39- Based on current operations, earnings "would be in excess of this standard for the full year." He brushed away the demands of Big Steel that price increases should be given now, on the basis of present earnings. Cutbacks in war contracts, said he, had made present operations in the industry abnormal. They would not be back to "normal" until early in 1946. At that time, said Mr. Bowles, the matter of a price boost would be taken up again by OPA.

For more than joo small, nonintegrated steel makers, he held out a closer hope. Even the OPA is willing to admit that many of the small companies, without the advantage of ore-to-ingot production, are losing money. Mr. Bowles promised them a price boost.

Actually, OPA was not as adamant as it seemed. It had been ready to give a $2-a-ton increase (the steelmen asked for $7), had even prepared an order to that effect. Stabilization Director John Collett did not like the order but sent it along to OWMR Boss John Snyder anyway. He turned it down.

Now the next move was up to Big Steel, bellwether of the industry, or the C.I.O. At week's end neither had anything to say. In the ominous silence, 640,000 workers in 766 steel, iron and aluminum plants all over the nation got ready to cast their votes this week in a strike poll. No one doubted that they would vote to strike. The only question was: when?

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