Evening star., 1942-08-05
Wage Control Fight
In England Revived
By Same Row Here
London Times Discusses
Necessity for Fresh
Approach to Problem
BY HELEN KIRKPATRICK,

a AAANsNt
the CHICAGO Daily News
LONDON, Aug. 5.-The necessity
for new government approach to
the wage-control problem is again
under discussion-revived to a GER
tain extent by the controversy in
the United States on the subject.
The governments plea to the
trades unions to prevent wages from
cessful up to point. That point is
now regarded as having been passed.
Wages, it is claimed, have risen to a
level where inequalities are now
eliminated but they are still con-
tinuing to rise.
Some advocate that the govern
ment impose a general wage check
Others believe such a policy would
be undesirable in the extreme and
would cause an even greater split in
labor quarters than already exists
These latter advise the government
to make direct approach to the
trade unions to secure a hard and
fast agreement from them on a ma
tional wages policy.
U. S. Situation Compared.
The Times devoted its leading
editorial to the subject yesterday,
pointing out the great similarities
between the situa ton here and that
in the United States. Reviewing
the government policy, it admits
that time has proved that price
fixing subsidies, rationing and taxa
ton have controlled inflationary
tendencies. Wage increases have
been made on the basis of adjusting
unduly low rates and compensa ting
for greatly increased output.
Wages had shown a steadily up
ward trend" the Times writes of the
Chancellor of the Exchequers last
budget speech, in which he sought
to justify the governments policy.
But the rise had not been steep and
the range of increases. owing to
stabilization, had been circum-
Scribed."
Since the budget speech, however
the Times states that wages have
continued to move upward and cites
the miners increase and the claims
now being made by engineers, rail-
waymen, building operatives work
ers) and other groups. This necessi-
tates a reconsideration of policy, the
Times believes.
In such circumstance as these
can the governments policy of mas
terly inactivity continue to be ade-
quate?" 1t asks.
Pact With Unions Favored.
The Times agrees with those who
advocate government agreement
with the trade unions, feeling that a
compulsory wage ceiling would have
disastrous effects on national unity
as we'll as creating an additional
enormous bureaucracy. Moreover
the Times adds:
1T is imperative to bring it home
that large wage increases cannot
in war conditions, represent redis-
tributlon OF the earnings of industry
IN favor Of labor. The working OF
excess profits taxes has left no mar
gin for such redistribution.
The last British savings figures
give some indication of what wage
increases have been. Small savings
groups in factories and working
class districts alone yielded in 81
months OF war 1896, ,087 ,948 pounds
approximately $5.584 ,341 1922 while
larger savings from companies anc
banks have been over 1000 900 ,OO(
pounds $4,000 100000.
Warship weeks, held through the
country, had by May yielded 524,.
100000 pounds (s2,O96, 900, ,OO0,.
More obvious to the casual OBJ.
server are the daily signs of in.
creased earnings. During last weeE
end the most expensive restaurant:
and theater seats were packed by
people who certainly would not have
been able to afford such luxurie.
before the war. Lack of clothes anc
| other consumer commodities have
left people with surplus all thu
larger for their increased wages.
tCopyrisht, 1912, by Chicago Daily News.