The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-15
Observations
War Labor Board
Order May Bring
New Ward Crisis
BY Helen Essary

The chances are good for anoth'
or Ward cIisis' before the cleo
lions. Although il took six months
for the last case to reach the show
down that led 10 federal seizure or
the Chicago facilities OF the huge
mail order house. observers pre-
dict that the present one Will de-
velop swiftly.
A new War Labor Board order
has been directed to Sewell Avery,
Ward board chairman, TO continue
terms of the old Go contract in its
Chicago plant until a new agree
ment is negotiated through collec-
tive bargaining conferences
Ward officials have indicated
sharp opposition to the directive
and may defy the board and the
case will be transmitted again TO
President Roosevelt for action.
Thus. Mr. Roosevelt will be con-
fronted with a charge Of political
dynamite practically on the eve
of the November balloting.
Administration leaders are we'll
aware OF the political risks in the
case in view Of the storm OF criu-
cism that broke after the original
seizure
There seems 10 be no alternative,
however. 10 forcing another show
down with Avery, II the WLB is TO
he maintained as the governments
No arbiter OF labor disputes.
PRICE CONTROL. in fact. the
entire hold-the.line program against
initiation. has just one more month
OF life. under the law as il stands.
All price and wage control laws.
and the Office OF Price Administra-
ton with them. will go out OF eX-
istence at midnight June 30. unless
Congress votes to continue them.
The House has already done SO.
Congress does intend to continue
the sterilization program. The
only question at issue is the terms
under which II will be continued.
4 major battle has taken place
over these terms Congress may
spend a good part OF this month
fighting over them.
II is possible that President
Roosevelt will veto the extension
bill, and that Congress will be coin
fronted with a crisis over continu-
snce of price control that will re-
quire some hasty action.
The Bankhead cotton escalator
amendment. strangely enough. has
emerged as the No. l issue in the
battle.
This amendment states that price
ceilings on cotton textiles shall
not be less than a parity price for
cotton. at least for the first S.
days. plus a reasonable profit for
80 per cent OF the manufacturers
on each textile item.
The OPA says this will crack
the sterilization program. A great
many members OF Congress from
cotton-producing states say 1t will
raise the price OF cotton. and In
crease production OF low-priced cot
ton textiles.
The battle recently opened in the
Senate. One side or the other
will 90 down in defeat. The OPA's
big trump card is the presidential
veto.
AMERICAN FIGHTING MA
RINES, it seems, are very press
conscious.
Hearings on the Owl budget dis
closed that the Marine Corps Is
one OF the best customers OF the
agencys clipping bureau which
clips some 300 newspapers daily.
The Marines have a very large
order in for their activities in all
theaters OF war. the House Appro-
priations Committee was informed.
General Denig. chief Of the Ma
rine Corps public relations setup.
sends the clippings out to the war
theaters so the boys can see how
the newspapers back home are
treating the actions in which they
have taken part.
The Marine Corps believes It Is
excellent for the corps morale.