Evening star., 1942-06-30

Cdlly ClilS illOi lllilS w ICSloCCl
was slow during the morning.
Of the effect of the wage advance
would be absorbed by diminished
taxes and 6 per cent would be the
net fraction borne by the COM
panies, translated into dollars as
follows: Bethlehem, $l,380,000; Re-
public, 100000; Youngstown, $685.
900; Inland, $4,000 II the Treas
ury's profit tax proposal were
adopted. the panel added, Ill. per
cent of the requested wage ad-
vance would be absorbed by the
companies and 49, per cent by
diminished taxes.
Chief Causes Of Changes.
The panel agreed that every wage
increase has an inf1ationary effect
proportionate to its size and base,
but doubted one company's con-
clusion that increases in steel wages
spread like wild fire throughout the
other industries in the country
The panel expressed the belief that
general economic conditions are the
principal cause of changes in wage
rates, rather than any SPECIFIC
change in a particular industry"
The panel also agreed that with
the supply of available consumers
goods diminishing. the national
consumers pie is going to be
smaller" even though the national
money income will grow. The panel
then added:
TO ask labor to accept less than
its proportionate share OF the
Nations money income in order to
prevent labor from acquiring too
much pie leaves out of account that
money has value even when 1t must
be saved.
The panel does not, however, in
tend to imply that a technique OF
forced savings can properly be
worked out in the course Of adjust
ing labor disputes"
Discussing comparative wages. the
panel said hourly earnings in the
steel industry in 1912 (99.1 cents)
will be greater than hourly earn
ings in durable goods t93.D. and
greater still than hourly earnings in
all manufacturing 87.O but in
both cases the percentage difference
will be less than 1t was in the past"
Emphasis on Weekly Earnings.
The report added that "for rea-
sons mentioned in the body of this
section, weekly earnings should be
given more than their usual weight
in the present determination of
just wage for the steel workers"
One of these reasons cited was the
great f1uctuation in wage earnings.
The weekly average went as low as
s14.50 in 1882, the panel said. rising
to $3702 in 194l. High weekly
earnings in good years." it asserted,
appear to condition the economic
we'll being of the steel worker"
Another stated reason was that In
contrast with durable goods and all
manufacturing. steel is a three shift
industry operating at capacity. and
extra hours of work at premium
rates are not available to the steel
worker to the same extent they are
in other industries. Weekly earn
ings in steel for 1912 were estimated
at $40.93, compared with $4412 In
durable goods, whereas in March,
1941, earnings in durable goods were
less than steel's.
Inland Steel Co: announced that
it had protested against such COM
parsons. 1t said:
ITO give weight to average weekly
earnings in an overtime industry in
determining just wages for fiat
| time industry would have the effect
of paying workers in the latter in
dustry for work which they never
do.
This would impose a grossly un-
just burden on the employers of
such workers and on the consumers
of the products manufactured by
them
Union Security Discussed.
Discussing management conten-
tion that union security was not
properly before the board. the panel
said it prefers not to pass on a
legal question" The union, how
ever, had contended that "in view
of the labor industry agreement re-
queSted by the President, the union
cannot win union security by strik-
ing. Therefore, if the board refused
to act, it would be settling this issue
in favor of the employer"
The report added: THE panel so
finds"
Union security said the report.
Sin the form of maintenance of
membership, united with the check
of, would make shop conditions
more peaceful by diminishing fric-
tion and eliminating the solicitation
of dues"
Murray Quoted.
The report stated, however, neither
the panel nor the board need weigh
the unions demand for a union shop,
for Mr.. president Philip
Murray, speaking for the union. ex-
pressed his willingness to negotiate
some form of union security which
would modify the union shop de-
mand and later passages in the
record indicate that some type of
maintenance of membership would
be acceptable"
The union, in the case of 3ethle-
hem and Republic Steel companies.
had asked also a guaranteed min
imum for piece-rate workers as of
each day, rather than an average
minimum over the pay period. The
panel said granting the request
would involve no direct additional
cost to the companies" The other
two companies are either complying