The CIO news., 1943-03-29
LOOKING AHEAD
By Len De Caux

"IIow much longer can be continue on the as
s,nption that somehow we shall muddle through?"
That was Philip Murrays leading question to the
u. S. Senator's, when he appeared before the truman
committee to investigate the national war program.
The CIO leader cited instance after instance OF
muddling in production manpower distribution food
supply, price control, wage stablization, etc.
In every case he put forward practical proposals
to remedy such muddles-all of them fitting into the
pattern Of labors most insistent demand for total
war mobilization and overall planning
Production Of war materials Is reaching unar-
ticipated proportions, Murray pointed out, due to
labor's efforts
But far greater production Is necessary for VIC
tory. This is increasingly threatened by present
muddng.
There is no central and planned control Of
scheduling Of material manpower and plant facili-
ties The War Production Board, War and Navy
Departments, War Manpower Commission have
overlapping jurisdictions and frequent friction.
Results: Over-production Of some materials, un-
derproduction of others; shortages of labor here,
boarding and over-supply there; unused small plant
facilities due to concentration of war orders with
big concerns.
Murray told of plants where thousands OF war
workers have been laid off, due to such muddling
and of other plants that being used to only one
half or one-third capacity
He warned that the present absence OF overall
planning and control will lead to hundreds OF
thousands of essential war workers being without
Jobs by late summer or fall.
X X X
AS to food production, Murray pointed out that
agriculture remains the last great Industry uncon-
verted to a wartime basis"
Production of non-essential crops like tobacco
and cotton has been increased tremendously This
has led to shortage of farm workers for the more
essential crops.
Meanwhile the big business farm bloc" presses
for price increases through the Bankhead and Pace
bills, that will raise living costs about 20eo. And
the interests of the small farmers, who could add
so much to food production, are neglected
Murray called for incentive payments to farmers
for increasing production of essential crops and for
more funds for the Farm Security Administration to
aid small farmers to maximum production.
q X X
Initiation Is one of the most serious dangers that
threatens a result of present muddling and lack
Of planning.
Labor is compelled to ask higher wages and the
scrapping of the Little Steel formula-whch one Of
the Senators appropriately referred to the Lit
tie Wage formula'-because only wages have been
stabilized, while prices and living costs have
mained uncontrolled.
Solution: Stabilize prices by overall rationing
and rigid price control. Enact fair tax program,
by taking money from inflated profits and surplus
wealth and leaving workers with enough income for
health and productive efficiency.
X X X
Murray quoted the profit figures Of the United
States, Republic and Bethlehem Steel corporations
The war profits Of these three companies alone In
the last three years. after taxes and after extrava
giant depreciation reserves will amount to about
half billion dollars.
Yet Congress tenderly protects such war profits
from adequate taxation, while it concentrates on
soaking the poor to the limit.
What's more, 1t has thrown out the Presidents
$25,O0O-a-year limit-as If to emphasize that wage
ceilings only for the poor and not for the rich
The steelworkers' wages have been kept down by
the Little Steel formula. But not so the wages Of
Eugene Grace, president of Bethlehem Steel. He's