The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1939-07-27
ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
At this writing, it looks as II the
WPA strikes are about over. Sever
al thousand workers have been dis
missed for failing to return to work
within five days, by order of Colonel
Harrington, WPA head. Many thous-
ands of strikers returned to work in
time and are back on the job. But
the issue from which this remark
able and unprecedented strike re-
suited is far from settled. And, in
order to thoroughly understand it in
all its ramifications, it is necessary
to 60 back down the years to 1885.
When the WPA was first consti-
tuted by Congress, and the principle
of work-relief for the bodied,
instead of direct relief, was decided
upon, the idea was that WPA work.
ers would be paid salaries sufficient
to maintain them at minimum COM
fort levels in return for useful Ia
bor. Little trouble resulted so long
IS the workers were put on jobs re-
quiring no skil-leaf-raking, lawn
cutting, pick-and-shovel labor, etc.
But when the made" work projects
began requiring the aid of skilled
workmen, such as electricians, car
penters and steam filters, the craft
labor unions let out a tremendous
howl.
Basis of the howl was that the
comparatively low pay received by
the skilled men on WPA-most Of
whom were out-of-work union mem
beers would inevitably force down
the wage rates of workers in private
industry and commerce. Whether
or not this was true, Congress listen
ed and thought it over carefully. At
that time, union political influence
was just about at its apex. The con-
sequence was that congress passed
q law under which skilled ,WPA
craftsmen would receive hourly
rates Of pay In accord with union
standards in the locality involved
but that these well-paid men would
be allowed to work only enough
hours to bring their total monthly
compensation up to a maximum Of
$3.50. (This Is the maximum in the
big Eastern cities where cost Of Hv-
ing is high; maximum is lower in
the South, West and elsewhere
where the cost of living tends lower.)
The law went into effect, and a
considerable confusion resulted. A
two-dollar-an-hour electrician had
to work but 46 hours a month for his
salary, while a 6O-cents-an hour
shovel-pusher had to put in some
$50 hours for the same money. Much
criticism came from within the
WPA as well as without. WPA jobs
were delayed because Of the diff
culties of coordinating work when
some men worked only q third as
much time as others. And this year,
congress passed a new relief bill
making number of drastic changes
I'm the principle of WPA administra-
ton.
Biggest change was adjustment
of the wage differential, and the re-
quirement of all WPA beneficiaries
to work 100 hours a month, without
any increase in wages. And the A
F. of L. craft unions, led by William
Green, howled again. The WPA
union" the Workers Alliance,
howled louder yet, and called the
strike. No one knows exactly how
many men walked out-in some sec
tions a majority did, and in others
few did. WPA executives took a
firm line and the dismissal order
followed, apparently with Presiden-
tial approval.
There is considerable group in
congress which favors restoration Of
the wage differential. But, at last
reports, this group has decided
against pushing a bill to that end
now-it looks as if the strike found
small public favor, and as If Con-
gress at large is solidly committed
to the principle that WPA jobs are
relief jobs and that workers have
no right to complain. AS Newsweek
phrases It, "The WPA strikers find
themselves on the dubious ground Of
conducting q walkout against an
employer who would be money
ahead II they would close down
every job" Very high government
officials have said that there can