Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1943-11-12


Brotherhoods.
The OPA needs money, and
needs it badly. Congress has
crippled this agency by pauper-
izing it. The OPA is not in a po-
sition to police the nation in or
der to see that ceiling prices are
respected, because the funds are
not available for the payroll
which would be required.
Thus, we find that this obliga-
ton has been placed upon the
consuming public, and particu-
larly upon the housewives of
America. But the public, and even
the housewives, are largely un-
aware Of their obligation, and
when violations are noticed they
don't quite know what to do
about them.
ABOUT "SQUEALERS"
When there is a bad situation
whereby society in general suf-
fers as a result of it, you are
hardly looked upon as "squeal-
err" when you notify the authori-
ties of the violator.
For instance, when a recent
gasoline bootlegger raised his
prices to thirty cents gallon,
then to thirty-five cents, opening
up two new stations from the il
licit profits, it was the duty and
responsibility of those who knew
of this to inform the authorities.
Eventually they did, and I'm not
so sure that this operators
charging a soldier thirty-five
cents per gallon, even though the
serviceman had gasoline coupons,
did not put the crowning touch
to the crime, and not only turn
public opinion against the culprit
but hasten his capture.
In the enforcement of ceiling
prices, only an aroused and edu-
Gated group of consumers can ef-
fectively do the job. We must
reach the housewife and the aver
age man on the street before the
violators realize that we look
upon them not as smart" busi-
ness men, but as chiselers, cheats
and unpatriotic enemies of So
ciety and the American way of
life.
fUBLlC OflNION
Public opinion is the determin-
ing factor in many things which
affect our daily lives. Particu-
larly is this true when you are
living under a democratic form
of government. (Although we
sometimes wonder how demo-
cratic some of our politicians
really are.)
We must insist that our Toledo
district be furnished with labor
coordinator to work in conjunc-
ton with the Office of Price Ad-
ministration. Let the War Labor
Board act as the instrument of
management, if it must, but don't
forget that the only way we can
control initiation and assure our
people a semblance of economic
Justice, is to establish and main
tain a permanent balance be-
tween wages and prices.
DUTIES OF COORDINATOR
1t will be the responsibility of
this labor cordinator to keep the
labor advisory committee sup
piled with the facts and new
ideas, and particularly will it be
his job to educate the consuming
public of our district. He must
awaken the membership of the
various union organizations in
much the same manner as we
campaigned in the recent cleo
tion for city council. Only then
will Washington feel the full eff
feet of public opinion from a ma
ton opposed to war profiteering
at the expense Of the middle and
lower class wage Garner.
The farm bloc has not been ef-
fectively curbed, food prices are
outrageous, black markets are
still being patronized, chiselers
are ignoring price regulations,
and now and then we find cases
of discrimination or favoritism in
the rationing boards.
But let us not condemn the
OPA. Let's help it. This is our
agency, the only instrument by
which we may protect the wage
gains we have struggled for
years to obtain. Let's get labor
coordinator, work with him, and
enlighten our membership. After
the war it will be too latel