New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-12-02
DOES NOT EXPECT
SERIOUS TROUBLE
Labor Official Thinks ReadjuSt-
ment Questions Will Be Overcome

Washington, Dec. Eff we put
ourselves down to winning the peace.
by drives as we have to winning the
war, the problems of labor and in
dustry in the after the-war period
will be easily and instantly settled,
says Louis F. Post, assistant secretary
of labor.
Mr.. Post declares that he does not
anticipate any particular problems in
the read justmont period. I'VE chang
cd quickly from peace to war produc
tion," he said, and it seems to me
that there should be no reason
Why our factories and our Workmen
should not be able to change back
from the war basis to the peace basis
AS quickly making due allowance for
such lack OgraW materials as may eX
list, due to seasonal conditions. But.
given the raw materials, plants which
were manufacturing articles for peace
tradt before the war should be able 20
reassemble their machinery and
change their processes hack to the
basis of peace production without so
much confusion and delay as many
people anticipate"
There is bound to be certain shift
Ing of labor from plants at present
solely designed for war work back to
plants that were big producers in
peace times, Mr. Post believes: but he
regards the employment service of
the department OF labor as a suitable
agency for handling the problems
that might arise from such shifting
3 ID believes that it will be able to
provide workers with jobs as we'll as
to provide Workmen for employers.
There is an clement in the wage
question which may produce indus
trial unrest and in that only does the
country face danger from the recon-
structioa necessities, thinks MI Post
Even this may be avoided by intelIi-
gent agreement and conference be
tween labor and employers. How
erer. Mr.. Post declares IF employers
are to be guided by the type of men
who have figured all through history
as the privileged class. who think it
their religious duty to re-
fuse to deal with organized
men, we will have trouble
If as much disposition will be shown
by employers to adjust industry and
its problems as the men they hire
the possibility of trouble will be re-
duced to Il minimum.
The worker who in peace times
was able to earn $50 Il week under
war wages and war overtime, frequent
~ has been able to- go home on pay
night with 500 in his pocket, rep
resenting his weeks wages. The man
who has experienced this is not going
to be willing to stand a material re-
duction in the cost of living, which
that he will be willing to forget the
overtime work he has been putting
in, but even should there be d re-
ductionin the cost of living which
seems unlikely, the worker is not go
ing to accept a reduction of his wages
to his pre-war basis. That, however,
is a matter of the individual rather
than the union.
collective bargaining will solve
much of that. I feel, that there should
be continued existence of the agency
represented through the National War
Labor board. The decisions of that
board, providing for a review of the
wage awards every six months on the
basis of changes in the cost of living,
and more particularly the awarding
of the right of collective bargaining,
if entered into thoroughly and in
harmonious spirit by workers and en-
y overs alike, will do much to solve
thc problem through the operation Of
The shop committees.
Il do not anticipate any lack of jobs
People forget that we have been