The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-07-21

production diminiShes and civilian
production increases
There are justlhsble reasons
which explain 10 any thinking in
dividual why Detroit and most OF
our other industrial areas are near
the dynamite stage today. They
are not the reasons given by Earl
Brown nor your daily papers
FIRST: Thousands of employees
are being lad oft each day with
no assurance they ever will he re-
called 10 comparable employment
Union leaders and stewards are
being fred for the n imSies, reasons
Women and Negroes with var
developed skills are being offered
a choice Of broom or quit slip"
which bars unemployment compen.
sation. Grievances pie up while
management stalls in negotiations
and takes an attitude OF so what"
All OF which evidences 20 the
workers a sly but determined effort
on the part Of industry 10 break
the back Of the unions which have
been and S,i!. arc their sole support
IN times Of employment dlficGlte&
SECOND: What does their gov
a II -
SiStS on keeping wages within the
Little Steel Formula no more
han fifteen per cent increases
while the members % Congress IN
crease their salary fifty per cent.
The House Of Representatives votes
an income tax revision on corporate
taxes, which improves lnduStrys
cash position BY I've billions OF
dollars. but refuses 10 act on the
Wagner Full Employment Bill or
the Murray-W -Dlngle Social
Security Bill or the Fair Employ
ment Practices Bill or President
Truman's request for more liberal
unemployment compensation pay
menis Added 10 this is the fact
that liberal pro-labor members OF
the Presidents cabinet with the
notable exceptions Of Wallace and
lckes. have been ouSted one by one
and their positions fled by persons
either hostile or lukeWsrm to
labors legitimate desires.
THIRD: What does industry do!
Flushed with staggering wartime
profits and a governmental guaran-
tee OF continued profits for at least
two years after the war. Ford.
| ChrySler. General Motors and
Packard and the other large manu-
| featuring concerns welcome the
opportunity 10 produce less cars
at higher prices and with reduced
labor supplies. They know they
cannot lose And what is OF more
moment 10 them, they know that IL
men do not work they cannot sup
port their unions and eventually
union membership falls away and
the union dies. They know. too,
that with southern land northern)
reactionaries coming more and
more into power in Washington,
there is strong possibility that
| the end OF the war Will bring with
/ il revision Of the Wagner Labor
Relations Act and repressive labor
laws such as that already proposed
by Senators Burton 81 Ohio, Ball
~ Minnesota. and Hatch OF New
| Mexico.
And finally. both Industry and
government know that playing up
labor'S patriotic sense Of loyalty
will keep labor leaders true to
their no-strike pledge; a subsidized
| daily press will continually WOO
the public n arrangements side:
and mounting unemployment must
I inevitably reduce the most reason
able demands OF labor for such
| things as full employment and
| guaranteed annual wages.
These are but few OF the things
| you must consider. and any
thoughtful commentator on labor
relations must present 10 you. il
you are 10 understand our present
scene and what IL portends. II we
were 10 sum IL all up. We would
! say that the only thing which keeps
the dynamite from exploding here
and now is the confidence union
members have in their chosen
leaders. Undermine that confidence
and you touch of an explosion
which will reverberste not only
throughout our nation but around
! the world.