Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-13
48-Hr. Week
Decree Told
In 2 Words
The Extra 5000 Word,
Merely Explanatory
BY PAUL MALLON

AJ ASftlNO lOINt FeD. l<,-mTs
w Byrnes did not tell the
whole story of President Roose-
velt's 4S-hour work week decree.
The notwithstanding and head
line reading public got from him
the picture that the government
was cracking down on the
unions AT long last, increasing
the work week TO promote war
production and solve the man.
power situation.
The way he told il. this gov
eminent is determined TO pre-
vent further wage increases
beyond the little steel" formula.
and is equally dead-set against
price increases.
NINE little words in Mr..
~ Byrnes' speech told a differ
ent story than the other 5000
he spoke. These words were
that the 4S-hour week was being
ordered without affecting the
workers existing right to over
time pay
Say the worker was getting
ST an hour on the old 40-hour
week for wage Of $40. For the
additional eight hours now. he
will not receive So more, but
S12.
The union contracts all re-
quire at least time and a half
overtime and the additional
eight hours are 10 he paid al
that rate. This Is a wage in
crease Of 30 per cent on the
weekly rate and actually an
other eight per cent increase on
the hourly rate of the week as
A whole.
INSTEAD Of being an anti-in-~
f1ationary strengthening of the
union wages ceiling. therefore,
the move inwardly provides an
other eight per cent increase in
the rate and promotes imitation
10 that extent.
Even so this might look like
only typical Roosevelt move 70
thwart the Lewis-M Murray CAM
paign 70 break up the govern
ment little steel formula and
hold the union increases down
10 s per cent while getting an
other days work out Of the men.
BY cloaking the new wage in.
crease in the garb Of a man.
power and antl-inflation decree,
MesSrs. Roosevelt and Byrnes
may have gained the tactical
personal political advantage of
thwarting the union drlve-with
labor approval.
THE truth is the cost Of the
Il increased wages will not
come from industry, but from
the taxpayer, whose approval Is
never sought Most factory work
now is being done for the gov
eminent. and paid for, by the
people in taxes
As the war production outlay
is 100000, 600, 900 a year. the
cost Of this wage increase may
be several billions a year 10 the
treasury Of the United States.
Labor costs 90 into calculate
ing prices most war contracts
are on a cost plus basis anyway
50 industry has little 10 lose. To
whatever heights union wages
are run up, the government will
have 10 pay most Of the bill in
the price OF tanks. machine guns
and weapons of war.
Naturally, however. industry
prefers this covert method Of a
wage increase over the Lewis-z
Murray proposals 10 boost then
hourly rate directly.
OWEN so. you may glance
~ hastily at the proposition
and view II as fair enough in the
face of rising costs of living.
But from the standpoint Of fair
ness, the most vital factors we're
omitted by Mr.. ByrneS.
When the unions got the 40
hour week some years ago. they
insisted II should not be accom-
panied by decrease in pay. II
they worked as hours before the
new law. they wanted as hours
pay for 40 hours SO they re-
ceived A pay increase. in effect,
when the work week was cut,
and now they. are getting an
other wage increase when it is
restored.
Also. the great bulk Of the
workers Of the country are not
in the unions. but pay taxes as
clerks and white collar workers.
Their taxes 10 the treasury will
pay the increased union wages
and their benefits are nil unless
they have contract calling for
time and half for overtime.
IF THE government intends 10
extend its decree TO them
and require the small business
man TO increase his wage costs,
the government will promote in
flation further and grind the
vanishing small business man
even further into the dust.
The fairness aspect crumbles
even more when you consider
Mr.. Byrnes' words
"Some men can he drafted and
sent abroad nj $50 n month"
The congressional reaction TO
the move was hesitant and mild.
but the above are some Of the
unstated factors which are beina