Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1943-09-17
Your
STANDARD
Living
By Clayton Rusch,


action IN putting teeth into the
OPA.
Most of the money we spend for
food is used up in transportation,
processing, wholesaling and retail
ing and in speculation. From trans
portation to retailing, the profits
are often in excess and must be
curtailed. Speculation with the food
supply must be prohibited.
In order to have food we must
make it possible for the farmer to
at least break even. This means the
government must purchase the
farm mortgages, give the farmers
loans on long terms of low interest
and arrange to sell them seed, fer
tilizer and equipment at reasonable
rates.
This program could easily be fl
nanced by a program Of taxation
which would exempt incomes under
$4,000 yearly, steeply graduate
taxes above that figure and tax
away all individual income over
and above $4,000 a year.
The production of food must be
planned, and this is where the over
all economic high command is abso-
lutely essential, for crops must be
rotated and arid land must be
abandoned for more productive soil.
This in many cases would mean
mass migration to more fertile
land.
Consumer Dollar
From the consumers end we
must have adequate price control
So far, the food industrialists have
been able to demand and get what
they considered fair profit out of
the processing of food. The records
show that these food industrialists
have made bigger profits since the
war than they did before. Yet they
have made it plain that unless they
are permitted these big profits the
fruit and vegetables would be al
lowed to rot.
Now, since the workers are only
allowed Is per cent increase since
January, 1941, there is no reason
why ,the owners of food processing
plants should be allowed ever larg-
er profits. Unless we want chaos,
consumer prices must be rolled back
to May, 1912, levels.
Rationing
We still have many people who
grippe about rationing. 1t should be
plain to all that unless scarce ar
ticles were rationed, those with the
means would buy the available sup
ply and the workers would go with
out. What we need now is a fur
ther expansion of rationing to a
point where there will be just dis
tribution Of all consumer goods of
which there are shortages.
Grade Labelling
In order to prevent the food in
dustrialists from chiseling on the
price ceilings by selling a poorer
quality of processed food at the
same price formerly charged for a
better grade we need grade label
ing enforced by law.
Political Action Needed
The immediate difficulty is that
the present Congress and state leg
islatures are not recommending
laws in the interest of the farm
workers and city workers. Instead
they represent the interests of the
owners of the farm factories and
city industrialists as well.
President Roosevelt can go only
so far in attempting to put over
such program as outlined here
without the support of congress. The
first step in obtaining an adequate
food program is to elect congress
men who will act in the interest of
the farm and city workers.
In order to do this you must be
registered to vote. If you are not
registered, there is no time like the
present, as registration deadline is
October A.
Committee Seeks Aid
The Food Price Control Commit
tee of Local II is carrying out It's
task of determining the cost of food
in Toledo relative to the price roll
back program can use your assist
ance. There is blank price form
printed in this issue. When you buy
your groceries fill the form out
and give it to your steward, who
will give it to the shop committee
men, who will forward it to the
Food Price Control Committee of
Local IL.
Those interested in more details
of an adequate food program will
find them in this column from time
to TINS
Fill ouS this form when you pur-
chase youl groceries and give it TO
your steward He will forward it to
the Food Price Control Committee
of Local IL. More forms can be OBJ
tanned from your steward or at the
Local II hall.
Name of store.
Location.
Class.
Date.