Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-01-21
Poor MIR. Jones

Should MIR. Jones Do After The War;"
Here is Mr.. Jones as we see him:
Mr.. Jones owns small factory that
did modest business until the war came
along. While Mr.. Jones opposed conver-
sion at first, he finally was convinced that
there was good profit to be made in war
contracts, especially when men from
Washington showed him that a war prod
uct could be made in his factory.
He called his men together, waved the
flag, appealed to their loyalty to the COM
pany and their patriotism for their cOun-
try and received their assurance that they
were as anxious to win the war as he was.
Temporarily, Jones was satisfied. he
was too old to fight, having been 9O-day
wonder in the last war. Many of his en-
ployes were also too old. Together they
worked to win the war. The w0rkers-the
war against the Axis: JOnes-the war
against the workers.
One day Mr.. Jones was surprised. He
was sitting i'm his office, and that was
enough to surprise anybody since he spent
most of his time in the factory cracking
the whip, or across the street with his
friend and fellow industrialist, Smith (whO
signed his own draft exemption papers)
plotting on how to keep the workers in
their place. He has taken on many new
employees TO pad his expenditures on his
cost plus contracts. One of these new en-
ployes came to his office. He was a union
member who had been hired through an
oversight on the part of an underpald
office worker.
Asking the employee into his sanctum,
Mr.. Jones with forced air of friendliness
said "Wen young man, what can do for
you?"
The new employee said, "SOme of us
boys were talking the other day about the
enormous increase in the cost of living and
we decided to ask you for a raise"
In all his years in business, few men
had ever mustered courage enough to ask
Mr.. Jones for raise. Those who had, had
been reprimanded, or dismissed and black
listed as radicals. But Jones was thinking
of his cost-plus contracts.
Mr.. Jones consulted with his Nam.
associates who advised him against grant
ing the increase for fear the workers
might be spoiled by ''high wages" So, in
doubt, he called the worker i'm to talk TO
him.
When the worker came TO talk to Mr..
Jones, he brought committee" with him.
Mr.. Jones was confused. Could it be pos
sibe that his employees were asserting
themselves after all these years?
Mr.. Jones told the committee he could
do nothing for them. He said the company
was losing money and he fOresaw big
layoff in the future. He claimed he was
paying more money than he should and
that he was wonderfully benevolent man,
almost a father to his one big happy
family of contented workers.
But the new worker surrounded by the
committee told Mr.. Jones they were band
ing together in an organization to promote
their mutual interests. Jones was appalled,.
This was treason, because he had read
about strikes and unions in the daily pa
pers and everyone knew the unbiased, non
partisan attitude of the daily papers.
II ali worked out the usual way. The
employees were slightly divided by
hastily formed company union; but when
tic FUtCS NCIt NOulttCus TIC uftiOH NUh
by vote of 1S1 TO l9.
Then it came time for the first con-
tract. Jones stalled and stalled until the
case was taken to the War Labor Board.
After that, he merely stalled some more,
appealing to the National War Labor
Board on every possible loophole his high
ly paid attorneys could find.
Eventually the first contract was
signed. Mr.. Jones added the increased
wages TO the price instead of taking them
out of his bloated profits.
One day, Mr.. Jones got to thinking
what he would do after the war, especially
If the present administration remained in
power. He was getting older and realized
there were but few years left to exploit
his fellow men.
MIR. Jones found himself in dilemma.
What would you do If you were MIR. Jones?
MIR. Jones and his kind, as well as the
prostitute literary men who beat the
drums for them will be our greatest men.
ace in the postwar era as they are now.
We need more workers who unite for their
mutual interest, not only in combating
the Joneses and their hired press, but their
lackeys in CrOrpreSg who on into pcsty,S ISLES