The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-10-06
BY Roger w. 6abson

Babson Park, Mass. Oct. 81
may be making a mistake in my
statistics. or course. at best II is
only an estimate. The figures,
however, which have collected in
dictate that five or ten years hence
the majority OF U. 5. families will
be receiving a pension check from
the federal government Further
more, within 20 years the majority
OF the voters of this country may
be receiving pensions. In this
compilation /, OF course, include
those receiving something from
the Civil War, the Spanish War
and World War | as we'll as those
who will have been in World War
II.
What About Labor
The general feeling is that the
labor unions will control our De
mocracy. Businessmen and inves
tors are especially fearful OF thu
power OF labor. This does not wOr
ny me for two reasons, first, be
cause the history of the labor move
ment in England shows that after
labor gets everything organized II
has nothing to fight for without
cutting its own throat. Therefore
labor then no longer becomes q
front.page news item, while the la
bor leaders find they can make
more money at some other line oil
work.
The second reason why | am moi
worried about the power of labor
is because, in the last analysis, la
Dor is a commodity whether we
like to admit 1t or not. My friend
Sidney Hillman will not agree with
me on this point; but he Is wrong
Labor today is powerful because
labor is scarce: but later, when
the supply of labor exceeds the de
mand. labor's power will be nil
The membership of the unions will
then again drop off; while the in
come of the labor leaders will then
tumble as did the profits Of Wal
Street bro,ers in 1929. Laborf
influence is now at it's peak fol
this cycle. Its honeymoon is about
over.
Veterans VS.. Labor
Present indications are that the
World War II veterans will not be
very friendly to labor after their
return. They, whe have been risk
ing their ives in foreign lands al
a small pittance and living under
the hardest imaginable conditions
naturally will not feel friendly &c
those who have been remaining al
home with all the home comforts
and the highest wages in history
IL labor has sense enough to keeI
out Of politics and quit asking fol
any favors after the boys return
very well. II, however. labor con
tinues a postwar struggle for high
err wages, more power and other
benefits, there is bound to be trou
BILE.
The above should mean that the
returning veterans may be a con
servative influence. The veterans
bloc may unite with the conserva
tive bloc and keep the ship OF
state off the rocks. If so, the
money which businessmen and in
vestors, through taxes, will pay
for pensions may be good insur
ance. Hence, although taxes will
continue high in the postwar era
due to the tremendous pension bill
Army and Navy appropriations
etc, yet these may be good invest
ments. In this world, II is really
not a question of what we spend
but what we have left.
Communism Scare
Business, commodity prices and
the stock market will have a Com
munism scare some day. From my
knowledge OF Russia and England
it would not be surprising II rea
friction should develop. Nelthe,
country is in this war for lis
health. Both want portion OF the
swag and perhaps the same por
ton. Then the United States may
be called upon to take sides. This
future situation might easily be
come the elimination OF the pres
ent bull movement.
Businessmen and investors viii
then get II : and run for GOV
er, but / believe there will be no
Vedder speaks on What Keeps Our
Church Gofng?" Eph. 2:19-22.