The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-07-30

Washington, D. C.-The recent
ruling of the National War Labor
board, giving the workers in the
Little Steep' plants an average
wage increase of A cents a day,
it belived here to have touched
off the fuse which can lead to
paralyzing initiation unless imme-
diate steps are taken to prevent
it.
The steel case, in which the
union asked a wage increase of
81 a day, was settled" by giving
an increase which is supposed to
be the amount necessary to take
care of the Is per cent increase
in the cost of living since the steel
workers got their last increase.
As a result of this formula for
increased wages to labor, it is
now expected that all unions will
quickly make similar demands. If
they do, and if their demands are
met, it is estimated that our labor
bill for war production this year
will be increased by several bill
lion dollars.
Experts here believe the only
way initiation can be prevented is
by drastic legislation to freeze
wages plus additional legislation
to keep food prices from increas-
ing, but so far the President has
been hesitant to reccommed such
legislation n d congressional
groups are fighting against such
legislation tooth and nail. The
farm group in congress is unwill-
ing to listen to proposals to freeze
food prices, except at ceilings
which are much higher than pres
ent prices, and the labor group
will not listen to wage freezing
proposals.
It is agreed by those who have
studied the situation that whether
or not Leon Henderson and his
Office of Price Administration get
adequate funds to enforce price
ceilings on manufactured goods,
initiation cannot be stemmed I'M
less wages and farm prices also
are put under drastic control.
Surveys indicate that the people
of this country are ready and will
ing to accept such control, but
congressman, fearing the loss of
votes at the coming election If
they ask sacrifices from labor and
from the farmers, are shying away
from any action in this direction.
1t is expected that drastic
changes will be made in the new
tax bill by the senate committee
which is studying it, but there is
little expectation that the senate
will add to it and it may decrease
it by it's revisions. The treasury
department is greatly concerned
over the fact that the present
measure is $2,500,000,000 short of
its request. It is believed prob
able that congress will make up
the difference by passing a sales
tax if necessary, after the Novem-
Der election.
Each week the criticism of con-
gress for thinking in terms of the
election instead of the welfare of
the country increases. Senator
Barley, the majority leader of
the senate, who has vigorously de-
Tended congress against all criti-
cism, finally turned to critlzlng
crongress himself over the purely
political move to insist that the
senate approve all appointments
to executive position in the Office
of Price Administration.
'At this junction in the wal"
said Senator Barley, "it would
be most unfortunate for the SEN
ate of the United States to create
the impression on the country, and
on its people and on the world,
that we are more interested in
patronage, in securing some jobs,
than we are in anything else"
But despite such statements, the
senate continues to show more
interest in the election than in
vital legislation which it now has
before it, the number of senators
attending sessions these days in
dicating that great number of
our legislators are now in their
home states campaigning. Except
for the request of Senator Bark
ley's that absent senators return
to Washington, 43 would have
been missing when the important
price control legislation was being
debated.
The problem of man-power to
handle important industrial tasks
is becoming one of great concern
here, there being great shortages
of skilled men in many lines.
Figures prepared by the war
manpower commission indicate
that for every toolmaker avail
able, "a are needed. The ship
b11ilding industry, which employ