The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-27
Department Economists See
No Early Return to
Pre-War Basis
iCOUNTRY NOW ON
NEW PRICE LEVEL
UnlikeIihood That Wages Will Go Down
to Appreciable Extent Makes Pros
pect of Lower Prices Decidedly Re-
mote-Separate Investigations.

WASHINGTON. March 27.-As re-
suit of investigations by economists for.
tile department of labor, the conclusion
| has been reached that the popular expec-
tation of a decided reduction in prices is
mot justified. The warning is therefore
issued that the re-establishment of pre-
war prices is not to be looked for. S
The department of labor and depart
ment of commerce, working independent
| IL, have reached the conclusion that the
country is on new price level, and that
the delay in establishing new business or
charging old, or in undertaking eonstrue.
ton work of any Bind because the return
OF pre-war prices is hoped for, can only
lead to disappointment. The new indus
trial board is finding the same condition
Through all the economic studies re-
/ Gently issued by the information and edu-
| cation service OF the department Of labor,
there has been such evidence as clearly
I indicated the importance of any policy
contemplating radical changes in existing
wage scales the labor department as,
sorts .In the recent conference OF gov,
i ernors and mayors in Washington, it was
lbt NphtSiSus VI oi1lhAS8t lbat ASd1
iustment should not and could not NEAR
an immediate pressing down OF wages
/ This because wages have not gone up il
| the SAME proportion as living costs and
further because 1t is generally believed
: prudent to do everything possible to man
: tain the higher living standards which
have been evolved during the war.
] Notwithstanding these developments
/
. urging wage reductions. There has beer
enough of this agitation TO create an un
easness in the ranks of labor, and nm
| certainty as to the future labor condition
e in the minds OF prospective builders an'
II contractors. For this reason, the prece
+ dent established By the Industrial boar,
t OF the department of commerce in tn
q steel case should have a very beneficial
c effect. On the wage matter, in the state
\ ment announcing the new prices on stec
ri the board says:
. 1t is fully understood and expecte
1 that the present wage hates OF arrange
q ments viii not he interfered with, the al
K proved prices having this in view.
G "All economists and practical bushes
s men agree currency conditions are an in
tportant feature i'll present prices. Tn
cannot BE admitted without admitting a
so that present currency conditions al
an important factor in present wage
Money is just as cheap when it buys Il
: Dor as when'it buys steel. and those wl
talk of pre-war wage scales under pre-
Cit currency conditions ignore cntire
\ the fact that we do not have pre-ws
dollars, and we will not have them I,
7 many years to come.
The department OF labor holds tn;
7 wage scales have less to do with constru
ton and manufacturing costs than ef
cheney OF labor. investigations in tn
1 field suggest gradual improvement
: efficiency OF labor as the readiustmel
II progresses and industry gets away fro
the high speed, forced-production regin
incident to the war