The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-01
By JOHN T. FLYNN Written for NEA Service)

l BuSlIIGSS WILL 1dCS hldAAy pkVbASAAo In the coming months. One of them is the matter of raw materials There are certain raw materials which are not available in sufficient volume to go around, either be- cause supplies are curtailed, or demand has swollen abnormally, or shipping facilities have been cut.
 The government, through the OPM, is attempted to handle this problem by means of priorities - which, after all, is the only means that is open to 1t. Director of Pri- critics E. R. Stettinius has already put 220 items on the priority lists so that manufacturers will be served in the order of their irn- portance in relation to national defense and health.
 This will affect many industries. Probably no industry will be more affected than the building industry. Already even states and cities have been dended priorities on buildings, so 1t may be seen what will be the effect on private building. If this continues we may look for an al- most complete stoppage of building construction save in war industries. And one of the inevitable effects of this will be the piling up of a large shortage of construction.
 LABOR-RA!DING IS
 DIFFICULT TO CONTROL
 Another problem which will col,- front--indeed, already does confront business is the labor problem. This will arise first out of labor shortages, chiefly in the skilled trades, and next out of labor controversies. Skilled workers are already exhaust ed in many lines and localities. And even intelligent unskilled workers are none too plentiful in many industrial areas. Not too much hope Is nursed of supplying these needs out of WPA lists. A survey of WPA workers reveals only 8 small percentage of skilled men. To meet this difficulty the government is toying with the idea of training women workers.
 This shortage of workers will in- evitbaly have two effects. One will be the demand for higher wages by unions. The other will be labor. raiding by employers. Both these phenomena have already appeared
 Tn time many of the strike diff. faculties will be ironed out. Most of the strikes revolve around rep- resentation and higher pay = and probably more around representa- ton and union recognition than around higher pay. In January there were over 5000 cases of la Dor disputes based on recognition hanging fire before the NLRB. The government Is now trying to hurry along the settlement of these dis putes.
 But the raiding is a far more in- sidious difficulty. Employers with large contracts facing labor short ages go into other towns and other factories and offer more money for help. This results in Q general bidding up process for labor. Tn the last war saw 8 contraction walk into one plant where skilled men were getting $l6 Q day ano offer up to $20 day. He walked out with @ couple of dozen crafts men.
 PRIORITIES FOR
 LABOR PLANNED
 The government hopes to be able to deal with this problem by means of labor priorities, allotirg labor tt factories engaged in essential in dustries. This is not as easy tt enforce as material priorities. Ane 1t will not 90 to the root of the trouble. The bidding for workers will 20 on at an ever rising pace in tht nom defense industries, where thu government will not be so highl, concerned. But the wage rates es' abolished will soon reflect them selves in the defense industries.
 That employer will be 8 fortunate man who has 6 staff of workers wht