The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-08-27

FISW VI VIC Su1 L CllC lAllloCIOli oSct1
sentatives take, speaking of the
Business, discussing the matter'
with itself, thinks that the inflationary
effect of wage increases and consumer
buying has been much Overrated. 1t
thinks that there is much loose think
ing on the subject of imitation.
I'VE do, too. We think that some of
the business interests, including the
newspapers, have been responsible for
much of it. We suggest that they bone
up on their own organs of opinion.
No Initiation Seen
For instance, the business mana
zine United States News has this to
say about the War Labor Boards sta
biization of hourly wage rates at a
level Is per cent above that of Janu-
ary, 1941 (tO match the rise in living
COSTS
MANY industries have not given
raises in wages of that size If all
manufacturing industries now raise
their hourly wage rates to point 10
per cent above January, 1941, total
of about $400,O0O,OOO will be added to
wage income. If industries other than
manufacturing do the same, that will
mean another $4O0, 100000 added Yet
this total increase is little more than
l per cent of the wage and salary bill
of $4,000, 100000 for 1912. If increases
for white collar workers are added,
the total would rise. In itself, however,
tb;.. Ioas NOT Snal1 imitation
Pay of Many Low
I'VE would like to add couple of
comments to this statement. Seventy
five per cent of consumer units fami-
lies and individuals living alone) this
wear will receive less than S25O0. And
53 per cent of our factory workers are
earning less than 20 cents an hour
less than $50 a week.
Yet the authOritive Heller Commit
tee declares that a minimum wartime
budget necessary to maintain a family
of four at a level of health and decency
requires about $50 week.
THE present living standards OF
many workers families, as measured
against this standard, are already dan
gerously low. But consumer and labor
groups will accept lower standards il
the war demands.
More Business Organs Quoted
at is the demand that wages bf
frozen while prices, higher incomes anC
corporate profits rise, and the charge
that wage increases have practically
brought us into imitation, that have
rung the alarms in labor ranks
Bread & Butter continues with more
quotes, including one from Business
Week taking rap at the theorists
who have been talking about how 'ho
money" is creating a dangerous situa
ton by bidding frantically for a de
creasing supply of consumer goods.
And the Wall Street Journal, Brea(
4 Butter says, reports that the public
is helping to lick imitation. Says the
Journal:
People are buying less pay
ing off debts =. saving more
BOgeys Don't Scare Business
"Such facts" Bread & Butter adds
lead the United States News to con
clude:
Don't get too excited about the
prospect of runaway initiation during
the war. 1t doesn't appear to be in tine
cards.
In ending its analysis, Bread
Butter comments:
I'VE agree that the war initiation
will be kept within bounds. But evel
a controlled increase of 10 or - Del
cent Il year can bring critical hard
ships to low-income families. Such al
advance threatens from rising fooC
prices, piercing of retail ceilings ant
quality depreciation.
But the quotes above suggest tha
business itself doesn't put much Stocl
in the imitation bogeys used to scare
the public"