The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1944-10-26
Labor Members Charge
Board Has Failed In It's
Duty To Rule On Wages

Washington, ID. C.-OrganiZed labor
bitterly aSsailing the cowardly refusal
of the National War Labor Board to
recommend any change in the wage
freeze to the President, will draw up
its own recommendations and present
them directly TO the White House.
The NWLB, after spending more
than year in considering the issues
at stake, decided by an 3 to vote,
withall labor members dissenting, 10
pass the buck.
1t attempted to Justify its timidity
by asserting it was unable to judge
what effect change in the Little
Steel formula would have on the price
structure of the country.
"This is tantamOunt to an admission
by the public members of the Board
that they are not competent TO perform
their Duties" the labor members hotly
countered
The net effect of the action--or in
action-of the Board will be TO delay
the final decision of the President. The
Board now intends to draw up per
tinent facts" regarding the relation
ship of wages to the cost of living and
an appraisal of the nature and extent
of alleged inequities created by those
changes.
After this statement of facts Is
prepared, it will be submitted TO Eco
nomic Sterilization Director Vinson.
Presumably, Mr.. Ninson, who has been
quoted as saying privately in Wash
ineton circles that there will be no
change in the Little Steel formula, will
then consider the NWLB statement,
draw up one of his own and. in turn,
pass the whole works on To the Presi-
dent
This time-consuming process is eX-
pected 10 delay any possible decision
by the President until after election
AFL and CIO leaders have protested
against such delays.
The resolution adopted by the public
and industry members of the Board
said
"fhe board Is not sufficiently in
formed as To the possible effects Of n
modification of the Little Steel formula
on the price structure and on the ma
tional economy generally to warran: /
assurance that any modification could
be made consistent with the stabliZa |
tion needs OF the country and with the
provisions of the act of Oct ?, 1913,
tas renewed by the Economic Stabil |
ization Renewal Act of June, 1944).
"The board will, therefore, not in
cude in its factual report TO the Presi |
dent any recommendations for action
one way or the other with regard to
the Little Steel formula"
Earlier the board voted down, 8 to 4,
an AFL resolution placed before II
that ;he President be requested to
issue an Executive order (which will
realistically adjust the wage stabiliza
tion policy of the Government with the
increased cost of living and permit
employers and employees to eifectuate
the newly established policy by yolun-
tary agreement without submission to
the NWLB"
The labor members, pointing out
that the board had had before II for
more than year specific requests for
modification of the Little Steel for
mla, asserted that thine and again
the board has given the workers of
America clear indication that when
evidence was presented 10 IL the board
would take these requests under CON
sideration and would make appropri
ate recommendation to the President
based thereon"
They recalled that on March 80.
1914, the board had said that Ii could
recommend change in the Little Steel
formula If the formula created gross
inequities" This resolution, The labor
statement maintained, was Il clear
undertaking that the board would exer-
else its Judgment upon such evidence"
But the final action was n clear sur |
render of the boards commitment to |
exercise its Judgment"