Montana labor news., 1945-12-06
MURRAY Gets BREAD
And BUTTER FACTS
ON LABOR'S CASE
Br ALFRED G. LARKF

NEW YORK-FP)- While cores
pondents for the nations major news
papers enjoyed their second propaganda
junket around the country in two
months at the expense Of the National
Association Of Manufacturer the ClO
laid the bread-and- butter facts Of pres
ent wage fights before columnists and
commentators at a luncheon here No
vember g.
What his audience will say about
abor's wage proposals in their columns
and over the air cannot be predicted
But at the luncheon session, Murrays
presentation was SO complete they found
few questions to ask and had no criti-
cisms to offer. Murray told them;
/. mo union can hope to survive if
it does not give consideration TO the
needs Of the people Of the nation. The
CIO unions have given due considera-
ton to this responsibility. Their
demands are not prompted for the pur-
pose of helping a selfish interest, but
for the interests OF the nation, even
Of big business as well as little busi-
nes.s
2. The average worker in manufac-
turing indutry already has lost or will
lose in the next few months, $l075 a
week. $3.50 a year in take-home pay.
That is 81 per cent extracted from
his paycheck."
3. The Dept, of Commerce says the
national industrial payroll will be $40
billion less in 1916 than in l945; in
cluding army, governmental and agri-
cultural pay the cutback will be SIS
billion.
A. American industry had liquid as
sets Of S17l billion in January, l94l
In November, 1945, it had s57 billion.
This is an increase of nearly $40 bill
lion in addition to profits that were
distributed to stockholders Unless that
money is distributed to consumers, con-
seryatye economists say ii will menace
the nation, like a elot of the economic
bIoodstream But labor docs not ask for
RAISES paid out oi that profit
s. Beginning Jan. T. 1916 industry
will save S51z billion a year as a result
of elimination of the excess profits
tax by congressional action last month
@ Industry viii save So billion a year
in overtime pay by the cutback from
As hours to 40 hours, and it is ridieu-
lou to discuss the possibility that hours
will not be cut to 40 and less, with
approximately three million now unem-
ployed and the government expecting
eight million unemployed by next April.
Hours may be much less than 40 Indus
try will also save $1,000 million year
by the grading that is now going
on in all industries.
7. The Wa rProduotion Board fig
ured chronological improvements and
speedily Turn your sspare cash into
increased worker experience upped pro-
duction per manhour by Is per cent
during the war Now four workers do
the work of five did before the war.
g. Industry averaged $2,lO0 million
profit per year in l936-39. 1t averaged
more than SIS billion a year in the war
years, much more than double prewar
profits.
9. The total OF these industry savings
will permit a 81 per cent increase in pay,
with prices remaining where they are
and prewar profits doubled
TO- But big industry will not grant
such an increase, necessary to keep the
nation from plunging into a depres-
sion with more than Is million unem-
ployed 1t demands price increases for /
It's products, refuses to negotiate, and
is not persuaded to do so either out
of respect for the government or by
any action OF the government that indi
Gates the government realizes its re-
spinsibility to the nations workers.
II Industrialists call the current laws
business" strike benefit law" For two
years they can make not cent Of
profit and get paid by the government
as much per year as they earned in
profits the average year from 1886 to
1880 plus the cost Of maintaining their
factories. Taxes they paid on war prof
its will be returned to them