The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1919-04-25
Stop Wage Cutting.


hold that Bolshelists and
standpatters and profiteers are equally
menace to the civilization of our
time-Samuel Gompers, upon his re-
turn from Europe
Bethlehem Steel threatens a.30 per
cent reduction in wages, says an ed
itorial in the New York Evening Sun.
1t appears that Bethlehem Steel in
tends to try out the ground for others
who have the same desires but less of
either strength or courage
If there is any one thing that any
body in America could do to bring
upon the country depression and dis
satisfaction, if there is any one thing
that anybody in America could do to
give encouragement to those whose
sole object is the disruption of our
social stability and the undermining
of our. national stability, this plan of
Bethlehem Steel is that one thing.
All America ought to unite against
this blow
No thousand preachers of sedition
and disorder could utter any preachf
ment as effective as the preachment
planned by Bethlehem Steel.
Disorder feeds upon reaction.
And, furthermore, we have got
through with reaction. The faces of
the great masses of the American
people are turned toward progress.
There never was and never will be
any progress fathered by reduction
in wages.
Reduction of wages means less of
food, poorer houses and poorer clothes
for those who get the shrunken pay
envelopes.
Wages must go down.
| 1t is said that blind men develop
sixth sense that saves them from
pitfalls and bumps. Evidently this is
not true of those afflicted with econ
omic and social blindness.
Somehow America must be saved
from the consequences of this most
dangerous loss of sight,
Wages must not be reduced.
1t is argued that if Bethlehem Steel
can reduce wages, others will be able
to follow. This may be true. There
fore, there must be no start.
1t is argued that if wages can be
lowered the cost of living will go down
in equal proportion. This is not true
and it needs no learned professor to
bring forth the proof, though proof
there is in abundance.
The fallacy that is today the most
menacing fallacy in the world is that
which breaches reduction of wages in
the process of reconstruction.
Return to normal conditions, they
say.
Reduction of wages viii pile ruin
upon ruin in the world of industry,
when America and the world are in
need of every last ounce that industry
can produce. The history Of American
panics should be better known by
Bethlehem Steel and some other great
corporations.
And as for returning to normal
conditions, what Americans today
mean by normal is that kind OF
social balance that permits every in
dustrious person to live normal life
Cutting wages means driving men anc
women and children into subnorma,
existence.
And one more point. When wages
advanced during the war they just
about kept pace with the advancing
lcost of living A reduction now, there
fore, means a reduction below the pre-
war level-and that is the truth o.
the matter.
There have been many famous slo
gans in the world and if Bethlehem
Steel carries out it's announced plaI
there will be another and it will b.
made famous by American working
people shouting in unison, mo WAGE
REDUCTIONS"
~ & m