FRIDAY. DECEMBER 2. 1955 Renewed Strike Talks Requested PITTSBURGH, Dec. 1 (R)—Federal Mediatidn. Commissioner John R. Murray today asked for a resumption of negotiations here next Monday between the striking CIO International Union of Electrical Workers and Westinghouse Electric Corp Murray acted a few hours at AFL, CIO Merger Is Seen Today NEW YORK, Dec. 1 (il)—Mer ger of the AFL and CIO became practically an accomplished fact today. The AFL voted its final unanimous approval and the CIO Is due to ratify the merger to morrow. The consolidation brings to gether unions of the American Federation of Labor and those of the Congress of Industrial Organ izations to form a single 16-mil - union group. The new organization will be known formally as the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, AFL CIO. George Meany, one-time New York plumber who heads the AFL and is due to become president of the merged AFL-CIO, pledged in a speech to AFL convention dele gates that the new organization would be devoted to improving the lot of workers in the nation as a whole. "This merged organization can go forward to a better day," Meany said. "It can make a bet ter and more vital contribution to the community as a whole and to the welfare and security of our nation." Truman Aides indicted ST. LOUIS, Dec. 1 (W)—Mat thew J. Connelly and Theron La mar Caudle, who held high posi tions in the Truman administra tion, were indicted today on a charge of conspiring to defraud the government. Democrats Rebut Leader Tax Foes HARRISBURG, Dec. 1 (11')—The Leader administration today defended its proposed manufacturers' excise tax as a "reasonably fair allocation of the tax burden" despite a parade of industrial and business voices against it. Henry B. Leader, the governor's brother and legislative secretary, and Sen. John H. Dent, Democratic floor leader, wound up a unique two-day Senate hearing as the only spokesmen for the 3 1 / 2 per cent impost. Leader sought to rebut two days of testimony against the 400 mil lion dollar measure on the basis of "a misunderstanding" among opponents, on what the tax bill ac tually would do. And he said opponents spoke with a "lack of information" on proposed administration—backed amendments ranging fr o m ex empting candy and packing car tons to assuring purchasers of big industrial machinery an equal federal income tax break whether they buy within or, out of the state. . Opposition during the day took the same tack as yesterday. In dustry claimed the tax would hurt it competitively —•• that the sales tax would be a better way to raise funds. Dent said one thing established at the hearings was that each of the opponents of the tax now is satisfied that the Commonwealth needs and must raise money in some way. Opposition to the measure, he added, was brought by "these same groups, and in many instan ces the same spokesmen who have opposed the imposition of any thing but a Repubilcan-sponsored tax for the past 20 years." "At least 75 per cent of those who have appeared against this bill either knew nothing of the contents, or were fed misinforma tion by the politically inspired critics, because their testimony was irrelevant 'and contrary to the legislation proposed," Dent as serted. At the hearing's close before a silent audience of business exec utives from all over the state, er Gwilym A. Price, president of Westinghouse, announced that sal aries of executive and technical personnel will be cut up to 50 per cent for the duration of the strike. Noting that talks had been broken off earlier this week in New York, Price declared no progress is being made toward ending the bitter contract dispute and said: "We are settling down for a long strike." In New York, the union presi dent, James B. Carey, had no comment on Price's economy move. Murray suggested that negotia tions resume at a Pittsburgh hotel next Monday. There was no immediate reply from either Westinghouse or the union. The CIO-lUE called out its 44,- 000 members from 30 of the com pany's plants Oct. 16. Price's own salary of $186,050 a year will be halved to $93,025 un der the cost-cutback program. All other elected offiicals of the firm will get similar reductions. Cer tain other high management peo ple will get 40 per cent less salary for as long as the strike lasts. In addition, at least two-fifths of the firm's white collar and super visory workers will be furloughed by next week. The furloughs are to be rotated, with one group of employes working one week and another group the next week in many instances. Westinghouse employs a total of 114,000 persons. Of these, the 44,000 CIO-lUE members and 10,- 500 members of the United Elec trical Workers Ind. are currently on strike. Booth unions are seeking a 15- cent hourly pay boost. The work ers averaged $2.10 an hour before the walkout. The CIO-lUE is de manding a one-year contract and limitations on company efficiency studies. The two unions rejected a corn pany proposal for a five-year con tract which Westinghouse said would raise wages 16 per cent over that period. Henry Leader took over the Dem ocratic floor leader's rostrum to answer point by point the argu ments brought against the tax. • Speakers against the tax, Lead er said, were embroiled in a "basic . contradiction." This, he said, was whether the tax would be absorbed by manufacturers or passed on to the ultimate con sumer. "The cost of government will be spread among the business community and the consumers and will not work a hardship on either," he asserted. Answering the stated fear that Griggs Pharmacy E. College Ave. - Opp. Old Main THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (W)— The White House conference on education was rcorded tonight as favoring increased federal aid to schools, an d an administration spokesman predicted early action. Secretary of Welfare Marion B. Eolsom said: "I am confident that in the weeks ahead this adminis tration will present to the Con gress a broadened and improved program of federal assistance to help erase the classroom deficit." Folsom, who had talked earlier in the day with President Eisen hower at Gettysburg, made the prediction in a speech prepared for the closing session of the four day White House conference. One of the final actions of the conference, attended by 1800 dele gates, was the submission of a report saying the delegates were 2-1 in favor of increased federal aid to schools. The report said a majority of the delegates, however, believed federal funds should go to states "only on a basis of demonstrated needs." It said that of these favoring in creased federal -a i d an "over whelming majority" approved the use of federal funds to help build schools. On the question of using fed eral funds for operating schools, the report said the 1800 partici pating delegates "divided almost evenly." Operation of schools entails such questions as paying teach er salaries and the purchase of textbooks. The conference report on fi nancing schools was hammered out at a session that lingered un til the small hours of this morn ing. (LS. Steel Appoints Core PITTSBURGH, Dec. 1 (/P)—U.S. Steel Corp. today appointed Jesse F. Core general superintendent of the firm's Frick District coal mines. Core succeeds William R. Sted man, who has been named an as sistant to the vice president in charge of coal operations. August R. Werft, an Altoona native, was chosen to succeed Core as chief engineer of the district. the tax would drive industry to migrate from the state, Leader said that the impact of local taxes is greater than that of state taxes in deciding the location of a por ticular industry. The administration's aim, he said, is to "make the bill as work able as possible and to keep in dustry from migrating and at the same time attract new business and industry into the state." School Group Favors More Federal Aid YOUR DATE AN EXQUISITE CORSAGE FROM BILL McMULLEN, FLORIST AD 7-4984 122 E. College Ave. German Sees Continued Friendship With the West BONN, Germany, Dec. 1 (iP) Foreign Minister Heinrich von Brentano pledged today the Germans never will sacrifice their free dom and friendship with the West In a speech before the Bundes also, that the Germans will not pal Russian "no" to German reunifi cation The A d enau er government "knows very well that the fate of the German people would be sealed if it tried to exchange the confidence and friendship of its allies for the sympathy of the So viet Union," he declared. "Nor will the German people, I am convinced, be induced by any threat or temptation to veer from this straight - course," Von Brentano added. "The German people are not prepared to strike any deal jeop ardizing their freedom." He said that in making such a deal Germony "would not only betray her own future but also violate the freedom of other na tions by exposing them to dead ly danger." Von Brentano's speech was the government's answer to Russian pressure for the two parts of Ger many to get together as equals to create a neutralized and com munized reunited Germany. It also hit back at criticism at home, both from the opposition Socialists and the Free Demo cratic members of the government coalition, that not enough has been done to -promote German unity by direct contact with Rus sia. Von Brentano pointed out he was in Geneva at the time of the Big Four foreign ministers' con ference and "would not have evaded" any conversations of offered by V. r. Molotov. On Trips Home For The Holidays by GREYHOUND EAST Harrisburg Philadelphia .... New York Baltimore Washington, D.C. York Reading .... Scranton ... Wilkes-Barre Elmira, N.Y. Plus U.S. Tax. Save an Extra 10% Each Way with a Round-Trip Ticket in a deal• with Russia : g lower house, he served notice, sively accept the uncompromising Egypt, Israel Renew Fighting • JERUSALEM, Dec. 1 OP)— Keavy shooting developed on the Gaza frontier today. Egyptian and Israel troops exchanged fire in the Kissufim area in a battle last ing until nightfall. Each side blamed the other. Israeli officials said Egyptian troops within the Gaza strip start ed it by opening up on Israeli outposts. In Cairo, an Egyptian spokes man said the Israelis began the fight by blasting at two Egyptian posts near Deir el Balah, south of Gaza town, with mortars and au tomatic weapons. He reported two Egyptian soldiers were wounded seriously. The battle developed after an Israeli plane drew fire from Egyp tian anti-aircraft guns within the Gaza strip. An Israeli army spokesman said the plane was crusing on •the Is raeli side of the border near Me falsim, east of Gaza, when the Egyptian batteries opened fire. It was not hit, he said. An Egyptian spokesman de clared the plane flew over the Gaza strip and the anti-aircraft fire forced it to withdraw. Neither side said what kind of a plane it was. WEST Altoona Pittsburgh Erie Blairsville Youngstown, 0. Washington, Pa. Dußois Indiana Buffalo, N.Y. .. Oil City One Way . . • $2.00 . . . 4.25 .. . 6.20 . . . 3.80 . . . 4.60 . . . . 2.60 .. . 3.75 . . . 3.80 . . . . 3.40 .. , 4.20 PAGE THREE One Way . . . $1.35 .. . 3.70 ... 7.35 .. . 2.65 .. . 5.30 . . . . 4.45 . . . 2.15 .. . 2.85 . .. . 5.90 . .. . 6.45
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers