The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-05-29
..IT HASN'T WORKED OUT
BY j. E. Jones

Washington, d. c., May 25--The
statement of Leon Henderson, Price
Administrator, before the House
Ways and Means Committee to the
effect that freezing of wages as we'll
as prices may be necessary to pre-
vent serious imitation came the same
time that the Ford Motor Company
of Detroit demanded the freezing of
wages of all its workers for the dur
alton of the war. The demand was in
reply to a fat 81 day wage in
crease, and other overtime increas-
es, demanded by the United Auto
mobile Workers, c. l. O., in the re-
newal of the wage contract that ex-
pires next month.
Most significant is the statement
of the Ford spokesman in threaten
ing to discontinue the check-Off
system for union dues which was in
corporated into the union shop con-
tract granted after last years strike.
the statement read:
Zone of the reasons for granting
the check-off system originally was
to eliminate lot of this discord be-
tween the company and the union,
| but it hasn't worked out as we
hoped"
The company refuses to pay for a
500 defense bond to each employee
in lieu of two weeks vacation with
pay on the grounds that "the sole
customer" of the company is the
Government and that all such pay
and bonuses would, of course, have
to be passed on to the Government"
Ford added: Soldiers at the front
are not receiving any bonuses at the
present time"
The General Motors difficulties
| with these same c. /. O.'s involve the
same issues.
It is to be noted in both instances
that the two greatest aumotobile
plants in the World have turned all
| of their production facilities over
to give 100 per cent support to the
United Nations drive to win the war.
| Automobiles, rubber and gasoline
are under absolute Government con-
troll. Prices on all kinds of goods
and commodities have been frozen
The President of the United States
and Mr.. Henderson have both indi-
Gated that they want to freeze
wages.
The discussions on Capital Hill in
dictate a growing belief that wages
to workers should be considered as
an economic, social question, with
out reference to whether the work.
er is or is not member of union.
But we haven't got quite that far
along, and when we do arrive at that
point--at no distant date--Wages
will be handled under the general
rule, in the interests of all workers
and the general public, and with
due fairness to all companies en-
gagged in war production.
1t Couldn't Happen. But 1t Did
Trust Buster Thurman Arnold
was never asked to quit talking
about the "sins" and ''iniquities"
ed, in recent years, with violating
the antitrust laws. AS a matter of
fact he was a member of the Ad-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Commit
lee of which Senator O'Mahoney was
chairman. That TNEC group spent
two years on an economic inquiry"
that specialized in efforts to prove
| that American business was guilty
of wholesale definance, and viola
lions of the antitrust laws--involving
patents, cartels, methods Of install
ment credits that helped customers
buy cars on legitimate terms, etc.
During recent years Mr.. Arnold has
enlivened the news with his views
and his prosecutions of antitrust
cases.
But, alas, when the House Judi
ciary Committee recently invited
Mr. Arnold to appear at its hearing,
and explain his views about the an
tirackateering labor bill, Attorney
General Biddle interviewed with an
objection. He "muzzled'' Arnold,
and refused consent for that gentle
man to go before the House Com
mittee.
No one ever made fuss in all the
years that Mr.. Arnold was lambast-
ing businessmen as "monopolists''
and Senator Wheeler observes that
no Cabinet Officer ever took such an
attitude before, in forbidding sub
ordinate to respond to a call from
Congress.
Willing Women Workers
Following a White House an
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