Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-12-11

strategic position now First, the re-
action from depression suffering has
embarked the nation on a decided
course of liberalism. One of the main
pillars of the New Deal philosophy
rightly has been to improve the work
er's status. The Walsh-Healey con
tract act, the Wagner labor act, the
Guffey coal act, and the social Sc
curity act are all pro-worker laws
passed since 1888. Most important of
all to labor is the now dead MIRA.
This statute legally recognized the
bargaining rights of labor and it out
lawed interference by employers. Dur
ing Blue Eagle days union member
ship jumped fifty per cent.
Election FabOrable To Labor.
Mr.. Roosevelts smashing victory on
November 3 is a second reason for la
bor's strong position today. Their
votes, particularly in certain crucial
states. helped to turn his victory into
a landslide. Employers in some indus
tries, Immediately sizing up the situa-
ton, have beaten labor to the draw
by aoosting wages. In other industries
workers, quickly becoming conscious
Of their new power, have made new
demands. Hence, what began as a few
concessions has the prospects of now
developing into a national wage con-
flict The crucial question today is:
Are labor leaders going to be salts
fled with their gains or will they nip
prosperity In the bud by immediately
demanding still higher pay and-or-.
a thirty-hour week?
The cost of living is another big
factor in the situation. Production
costs have been boosted by increased
taxes and wages. Meanwhile the de-
mand for goods has been inflated by
the flood of pay increases and divid-
end extras. Right now food costs are
at a new top since 1880, clothing price
tags are steadily being marked up,
and rents are rising rapidly. Every
thing points to vigorous mark-up in
prices and sharply higher living costs
during 1887. Hence, my guess is that
recent wage increases will not satisfy
labor for very long. Strikes and other
serious labor troubles are already con-
siderably aeove last years level. The
total for this year is 1900 against l.
300 for 1885
Green VS.. Lewis.
Added to the other issues is the in
ternal row between Mr.. Green's Am
erican Federation of Labor and Mr..
Lewis Committee on Industrial Or
ganizatior Mr.. Lewis idea is that the
numbaIless craft unions should con-
solldate into relatively few indus
try unions. For instance, ambitious
Mr.. Lewis believes that the bargain
ing lower of gear-cutters, die-casters,
mill-workesa and upholsterers would
BE- greater # they were all united in
one GENITAL automobile union rather
than operate under four separate
craft unions. Conservative MIR. Green
feels that The current set-up is sound.
There is grave danger that this
GreenLeWls feud may cause serious
tia-up in some all-important industry
EeXt year.
Several of the current strikes could
easily become the spark which would
ignite the conflagration Labor lead
ers realize that there are four major
factors in their favor today. First, the
tremendous advance in industrial pro-
ductlon; second, the unprecedented
pouring out of dividend extras and
increases; third, the gain in labor's
bargaining power as indicated by the
electic n results; and four, the steady
rise III living costs. Hence, the major
question-mark about 1887 is: Will
labor leaders, in view of these four
factors, lose their heads and push too
fast and too hard for too high pay
and too short hours?
Can Roosevelt Control Labor?
The only person who can answer
this question is President Roosevelt
He alone can keep labor leaders from
over-stepping. He is their new Mes
siah. If the situation should itecome
threatening, | believe he could turn
it whichever way he desires. There
fore, | feel that the outlook for COM
modify prices, stocks, bonds, retail
sales, and business in general during
coming months depends largely upon
the attitude of our labor leaders and
the administrations policy toward
them. Workers can tie prosperity in
knot by widespread walk-outs, or they
can aid prosperity by limiting their
agitation to normal, peaceful bar
gaining. That is why 1 say that labor
leaders hold the key to prosperity IN
1887.
Business, as registered by the Bah
sonchart, continues to run at normal
\ 4 ~ n