The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1944-11-17
TEXT OF LABOR'S
DISSENT


revision Of the Little Steel formula.
Text Of their statement follows:
"The action of the Board is an in.
excusable dereliction of duty.
"The program which is has propos-
ed is compounded of timely, contra
dictions, and double-talk.
"For more than year now the
Board has had before it, by way of
petition, as well as specific cases, re-
quests for modification Of the Little
Steel formula and other aspects Of the
Boards stabilization policy. Time and
again the Board has given to the
workers of America clear indication
that when evidence was presented to
it, the Board would take these re-
quests under consideration and would
make appropriate recommendations
to the President based thereon. On
March %, 1914, the Board, by reso-
luton, stated specifically, in part,
that the Board can only recommend
change if in it's judgment the (Lit-
tie Steel) formula is operating to
create gross inequities, and if the
Board is satisfied that changes could
be made in the formula which would
be consistent with the stabilization
needs of the country and with the
provisions of the Act of October 2,
1912 This resolution, as well as the
action of the Board in accepting the
evidence in all the cases presented
to it on the matter, was clear un~
dertaking that the Board would ex-
ercise its judgment upon such evi-
dence. The resolution adopted today,
however, is a clear surrender of the
| Boards commitment to exercise it's
judgment. 1t is an indefensible dem
onstration of timidity by men who
are charged with the duty of advis-
ing the President of any changes
| which the present situation may re-
quire.
'The Boartd says, first, that in re-
gard to the Little Steel formula it will
report to the President, through the
Economic Sterilization Director, only
pertinent 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. The Board asserts
that it cannot go beyond presenting
such data and such appraisal because
it is not sufficiently informed as to
the possible effects of modification
of the formula on the price structure
and on the national economy general
ly. This is tantamount to an admis-
sion by the public members of the
Board that they are not competent to
perform their duties. They are spec
ifically charged with the RESPONSE
bility of administering the wage pol
icy Of the government, and they ought
to be in better position than any
other single group of men in the
country to have informed opinions as
to any necessary changes in the coun-
try's wage policy.
"Yet the same public members, who
on the one hand plead lack of infor-
nation, are ready to make pertinent
/ recommendations on wage policies fo1
} the reconversion period. They declare
, that they will proceed to consider.
alton of any changes that may be re.
| quired in the so-called bracket sys.
tenn and sub-standard wages and any
other pressing wage problems which
confront the Board with respect te
| reconversion. The Board is prepared
thereupon to make any suggestions
for broadening or clarifying the
Boards authority in dealing with
!. specific inequities and with the re-
conversion problems. The Boards in
consistency is astounding. For ovel
two years now the Board has beer
handling cases and becoming fully
informed of the effect of the Little
Steel formula and the relationship o.
wages to the cost of living. 1t has &C
cumulated a mass of evidence on tht
subject. But the Board now says i
is in no position to make any recon-
mendations as result of that ex
perience and any changes in our econ
omy which have taken place. TIL,
Board feels fully competent, however
to make recommendations on matter
which have not yet occurred, matter
on which it has had no experience
heard no cases, and been in no posi-
tion to make any more than a guess
"The only conclusion we can draw
on the action of the Board today i
/ that it deems that no change in tn
Little Steel formula should be rec
commended. It is apparent to us tina
the Board simply adopted this subter
I fuuo in 0rdor RI nnctpopo apd IoIo