The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-10
GRIM WAGE FIGHT
SHAPINC-UP NOW

WASHINGTON, Jan. g. R -
A grim battle over wages is shap-
ing up on the home front and some
OF union labor's friendliest critics
outside its own ranks see more
stringent controls ahead if labor
does not put down the strike pistol
and talk peacefully about its de-
mands.
One of these men, Chairman,
William H. Davis of the War La
Dor Board, believes the solution
may still lie in the democratic
process of public discussion" but
says if labor rejects that the gov
eminent will have no choice but to
answer with pistol of its own,
making the best shot the winner. "
Davis has no specific controls
of his own to offer at this time
and hopes none will be necessary,
but he does not visualize the gov
ernment's surrendering to force.
The WLB chairman, in an inter-
view. said he was aware that many
war-conscious persons think his
suggestion of extended public dis
cussion should be reserved for the
day of Utopia, or at least for
peacetime, but he maintains that
it is still the best method for two
parties to arrive at mutual I'M
Outstanding and respect for each
others problems and views.
The media for such discussions
are immaterial to Davis.
The discussions are taking place
now in limited way through an
examination of the cost of living
index by a tripartite committee
which he heads. Davis would ex-
tend the discussion to the entire
national wartime labor policy.
There would be no implication
in the mere opening of such dis
cussions that the government
would change its policy. The theory
is that all pistols would be check
ed at the door while labor, gov
eminent, and the public determine
the wisdom or lack of it in the
presentwage policy.
Davis points out that the policy
in part is statutory. Congress has
provided that wages and prices
shall be stabilized at the levels
of September Is, 1912, as far as
possible. Some want to ignore that,
some believe those standards al
ready have been ignored or have
not been enforced and that Con-
gress itself is running out on them;
others quarrel with the interpre-
tation given them by the admin
istration, and still others want the
standards changed. Davis said all
this provides plenty of room for
public discussion.
The CLIO United Steel Workers
are spearheading the new threat
against the wage policy with
demand for II cents an hour more.
They know it is not obtainable
under the Little Steel Formula.
They want to throw out the formu-
la, but if the price line can be
held they may settle for some
thing besides a rise in basic wage
rates as long as it provides about
the same amount of prestige.
A guaranteed wage, postwar
security fund, discharge pay. or
some other policy-making decision
might be the solution, this being
a rivalry for prestige among labor
leaders as well as a battle of the
wage earners.
The recent steel strikes are re-
garded as a token of the pressure
which might be used by about g.
900, 900 CLIO workers in strategic
industries in the next six months
unless the government, both con-
gress and the administration,
makes some preparations to COM
bat it, either by moral suasion or
by convincing evidence that force
will be met with force.
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