Evening star., 1941-04-15

facing. it becomes our solemn duty
to avoid strikes and to prevent in
terruption of work in defense indus
tries"
In letter dated February a. ad-
dressed to me, j. r. Steelman, direc-
tor of conciliation for the Depart
ment of Labor, cited the statistics
on strikes and lockouts since the de-
tense program began, and said:
I'm my opinion two noteworthy
trends are evidenced by these fig-
ures: % A slight decline in the
actual number of strikes and lock-
outs during period Of markedly
increased industrial activity and
employment; '2) progressively
greater utilization of conciliation ia
cilities, with a decided emphasis on
such utilization in the earlier stages
of labor management differences"
These figures and statements con-
clusively show:
First. that American labor is CO.
operating in the defense program.
Second. that the defense program
is not being materially impeded by
industrial disputes.
Third, that the agitation for anti
strike legislation does not arise from
the facts of industrial rela tions, but
from the hysteria of fear and the
continued and deliberate attempts
and efforts of the enemies of all
labor legislation to use national de-
fense as vehicle to attain their
goal.
Company Profits Soar.
1t is a well-known fact that. gen.
orally, speeding up of industry will
lead to an increase in the number
of industrial disputes. Why this is
so is well illustrated by present con-
ditions in this country. Oficial Gov
ernment figures reveal that the
profits of big industrial CORPORA
tions are now soaring to fantastic
heights. Six corporations-Uni
States Steel, General Motors, Amer
lean Telephone 6S Telegraph, Stand
ard Oil Co. of New Jersey, Dupont
and General Electric-who together
employ approximately 100000 en-
ployes. made q total net profit of
s776, 900 900, or an average net profit
Of $3.50 per employe.
1t is healthy human nature that
American workers should desire to
participate in these fantastic profits.
At the same time the cost of living
Is rapidly rising. Oficial Govern
ment figures show that rents, food
costs, clothing costs and almost all
other living expenses Of workers
show a definite upward trend. This
means that, in order to maintain
present living standards, American
workers must receive higher wages
to meet increasing living costs. The
Heller Committee of the University
of California recently worked out
what is called an ideal budget, de-
signed to provide = decent living
standard for the average family
The figure they established was So
200 a year. Such budget would
provide for a man, his wife and
three children, II cents q meal per
person for food, $3.50 q week for
medical care for the entire family.
s34 month for rent. IS q year for
the education of children and other
bare necessities. Unfortunately, ac-
cording to the figures OF the Social
Security Board, less than 3 per cent
of American workers earned IS much
as $4,000, the supposed ideal budget
figure Indeed, less than 40 per
cent of American workers earned as
much as $1,000 a year. One-third
of all American workers earned less
than $500 a year. which is less than
one-fourth of the so-called ideal
budget. These economic facts dem
onstrate that American workers are
driven by economic necessity, by the
need for clothing, food and shelter,