The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-08-13

bIyI l'h - AN'I his, llI' id'''
of series of four articles written
by Miss Grace G. GlaScott, Regional
Director of the Wage and Hour Di-
vision, L. $. Department of Labor,
discusses Il subject of great import
ance to every man, woman and child
in America.
The Wage and HouS Law states that
it is "the policy of this act :. to cor
rect and as rapidly as practicable TO
eliminate labor conditions detri-
mental to the maintenance Of the mini
mum standard of living necessary for
health, efficiency, and general we'll
being of workers :"
Yet, despite the progress made to
date in correcting these conditions,
progress made through raising wage
levels for hundreds of thousands Of
low-wage earners, scientific and eco
nomic surveys reveal that 40 per cent
of the families do not have the money
to buy food for an adequate diet
Although conditions have improved
slightly over what they were when the
above findings was announced a year
ago by DR.. Robert $. Harris of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Cambridge, Massachusetts the shock
ing truth of his statement still is per
tnent What the effect of undernOur-
iShment is on Il nation at any time,
and especially when that nation is at
Here is what DR.. Harris has to say
on this:
"Since the ma .jority of the American
people have minor nutritiOnal ailments
and a very substantial minority are
definitely deficient in several nutrition
a factors, good proportion of the
men entering military service are
undernourished. They are being given
nutl'itionally balanced diets definitely
superior to those on which they lived
at home.
Military authorities are kcenly
aware of the Importance of sound nu-
triton in preserving the morale Of the
men, and they are constantly being adj
viScd by the best medical and nutri-
! tional experts in an effort to make the
| American soldier and sailor the best
| fed in the world Morale and
| stamina cannot he expected of thiamin-
| hungry troops or populations"
Assuming that the effect of years
of undernourishment in civilian life
can be overcome through proper diet
while in the armed forces, we then can
be thankful for ut least temporary cor
rcction of conditions detrimental" for
Il part of our population. But what
about those who remain part of our
civilization population, those who are
looked to for the production of ma
terials 50 vital to our war effort?
OF these, DR.. Harris says: Re
search has shown that visual acuity,
mental and physical health, morale
and endurance may be impaired by
mtritional deficiency. 1t is therefore
imperative that workers connected with
defense industries be we'll fed it may
be advisable to initiate England'S soup
Kitchens by feeding the workers in
these vital induSt rieS nutritious mid
day meals. Field tests have shown that
the improvement of Substandard' diets
in groups of workers results in in
creased output and n reduction in acci-
dents"
The cost of living usually rises in
advance Of wages. The 3O-ccnt IN hour
minimum wage guarantee which the
Wage and Hour Law is providing for
most workers, and the 40 cent level il
has obtained for some workers, ad
mittcdly are not sufficient protection in
themselves to assure proper living
standards for all Americans The tenn
porary gains which increased wartime
wage levels provide for some must be
more widespread. The Wage and Hour
Division is constantly seeking TO ad
Just upward the wages of workers
through industry committee action. |
feel confident that organized labor will
continue to support the Division IN
these efforts to improve conditions for
low paid wage earnerS and their
families.