Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-02
PeeIer Admits
Neglect Of
Indus+riaIists
Starts With Mr.. GirdIer
and SociaI Security
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

calling. Observation-Disclosures
der dispatches have revealed,
from time TO time, certain UNI
suspected facts of life in the
upper brackets of the union TO
the neglect, il must be admitted.
of equally charming practices OF
some Of our giants Of industry or
living monuments along the won
derful American way.
The neglect was not inten-
tional, however, being due 10
your correspondents preoccupa-
ton with a more or less single
handed discovery that there was
pay dirt in the peaks of leader
ship and TO dumb, honest igno-
rance of big business and a
proper awe of corporate struc-
ture. language and reasoning.
But during the last few days,
your correspondent has sunk his
pick into a patch on the other
side of the divide and turned up
a nugget Of such purity and size
as can be discussed only in the
editorial tone of Can such
things be-!
1t appearS-weii. no, il doCSn
merely appear-it veritably IS a
fact that Tom NJ. Girdler. the
chairman Of the board of Repub-
lie Steel, and a few other mobiles
of the corporation have prepaid
social security for themselves in
their declining years and /or be-
fore. in a manner much The
same as that employed by GER
tain unioneerS, but in larger
measure.
ONE elderly Indispensable Of
~ tho union business. Mr. Joe
Weber, late president Of the mu-
slcianS. on being eaSed up and
out by his puShlul colleague
Jimmy Petrillo, was granted
$4,000 for the resi- OF his life.
His status is that of adviser
and the $4,000 d year which he
gets, plus other pay and per-
quislteS. make MIR. Weber SUBJ
ject Of vast envy and little less
resentment among the rank and
file.
There arc others similarly
placed. but Mr.. Weber seems 10
be the high man. which IS why
he Is mentioned thus.
Sulky malcontcnts among tho
lower orders in the unions have
argued that out Of the large
salaries which Mr.. Weber and
other wise union politicians re-
ceived during their active years
they should have been able 10
squirrel away their own social
security.
And. as one who has supported
the argument. your correspond
ent is prepared to agree further
that Mr.. Girdler and his coll
leagues in Republic Steel, az
their rates of pay. also should
have rolled their own.
Mr.. GfRDHEt.RF3 is to get Ss33e6 .-
WI 600 a year for life when he
is 90. which IS next year, under a
contract which recognized with
out bubble or stint the superb
qualities Of what-a-man Glrdlert
and provided. furthermore. that
even had he been fired prior 10
his siNty-flfth year he should
have received the same pension,
nevertheless.
You ought 10 hear what a law
yer's note says about Mr.. Girdlcr,
bearing in mind that the wonder
man himself was a party 10 this
II says that he is the most
responsible. most valuable and
most irreplaceable" of Republics
employees and adds that Republic
desires. in It's own interest not
his, TO keep him throughout his
active working years.
The other supermen. none Of
whom of course. is conceded 10
be quite as super as uppcr-caSe
Tom. are r. J Wysor. president.
and Myron a. Wick. y. j. Clarke
and c. NJ. White. vice presidents
in charge of this and that. all
receiving ST., 900 a year except
Mr.. Wysor. who is 33 per cent
more super and so gets 500 600.
THEIR terms vary somewhat,
Il but the notice 10 stock
holders OF the meeting at which
Their social security was voted
distinguished between mere en-
ployeS and Supermen. who arc
designated as certain principal
executive officers.
There are pension arrange
mentS for employees, too. but
they have 10 contribute 40 per
cent TO the fund. whereas the
supermen. meaning those best
able 10 buy their own annuiticS.
contribute nothing. The stock
holders pay il all. in addition 10
their salaries Of from SIS 600 10
$4,000 A year
1t certainly does appear that
the supermen got their heads
together in advance of that(
stockholders meeting which was>
held in Jersey City on April II,
1897.
ri 1871 -.