Milford chronicle., 1945-10-26

months because Of the strikes throughout
the Nation. In all parts Of the country in-
dusuy Is becoming jittery because the fu-
ture ot strikes has t.4t been determined. 1t
seems apparent that the Federal Govern
Inent i happy to let them go on and on. The
general public is greatly affected by these
strikes for every time that industry is slow
ed OF stopped by strikes that much purchas-
ing power IS lOSt-a loss that cannot be re-
gained. There is one bright spot in the pic
turt, how ever. At the present time many Of
the plants are III the process Of change-OVer
from Var TO peace manufacturing. Thus
they would not be producing at this time
anyway II a national policy satisfactory
to management and labor can be worked
out within the next few weeks, the loss will
be nlnImIzed.
The government seems afraid to increase
prices and il is frightened not to increase
wages. in other words, it is between the
devil and the deep blue sea. When he took
office We thought that President Truman
was a strong man. His actions in meeting
grave crisis compel us to revise our first
impressions down to the point that he is
much Weaker-not strong enough to make
move which will antagonlZe labor OF the
public. II IS apparent that this man Tru-
man from Missouri might wish to be re-
creased prices viii put him in bad with more
consumers than it will put him in good with
labor. Labor is tickle, anyhow Perhaps
tins IS Is It should be in q democracy, if the
mot good and mot bad are not influenced
III any way by COmmunistic urgings.
@o@
CENTURIES AGO, us shown in ancient
writings, there was an acute need for a med
ium Though which the people could reach
each other in order to create commerce, fill
Jobs OF employ help In France places were
provided wherein anyone who wanted some
thing could come and register his wants.
One would announce that he wanted an EN-
plOyer; another would say he wanted to
hire How things have changed. This
service Is now supplied by the classified ad-
VertlSlng pages of our live newspapers. We
recently talked with man who has read
the Chronicle for great number of years
He said that through these brief ads in the
classified columns he had found and sold
numerous articles. He told of one small ad
through which he found farm on which
his family lived in the summer for ten
years; of another ad through which a maid
who has been with the family for thirty
years was found. Other ads secured numel-
Gus office and shop employees, many of whom
he still employs and who have become Valu-
able parts OF his business. He said that dur
ing the difficult period of help shortage dur
ing the war he found that a Well-Worded
classified advertisement always turned up
some applicant and often several 1t might
be safely predicted that if televiSion or some
such device eliminated newspapers AS car
rIelS Of news, it would be necessary to print
and distribute the classified ad sections In
the Chronicle large numbers of readers turn
to the classified ads before they read the
headlines. Through these small ads the needs
OF our readers are provided for.
@e@
THE OPA Is HEADED for trouble. If
las orders to keep prices down and vet as
the head OF OPA recently remarked "Wages
are definitely not my job" And wages are
on their way up. Thus with the biggest ele
ment III the cost of production completely
beyond ITS reach, the OPA, in order to stay
III business, adopts what it calls a "cost alb
Sorptlon policy. Costs it can't control it
expects to turn over to retailers for "ab-
sorptlon." This weird tactic, believe il or
not, IS It's cornerstone Of price control"
The greatest danger is that the OPA
While 1t IS getting itself into hot water, will
drag the distribution industry along with if.
Retailers have enough headaches already.
II they are forced to carry the infationarv
ball for OPA, the results cannot be anvthnp
but disastrous. The country relies on an eff
lclently operated distribution system On
the Whole, profit margins are narrow. The
solvency of retailers, including such mass
nerchahdlsers as chain stores depends upon
4 high volume Of sales, volume that has been
gained by keeping prices as low as possible
no one has greater interest in keeping
prices down, than retailers themselves. They
realize that there is little room in the deli
cate combination Of prices and volume for
the KIND Of tlnkering OPA is ndulging in at
the present time. If wages 90 up substanti-
ally, prices must go up. If prices are not al
lowed to follow wages, efficient retail distri
button as we now know it, will be wrecked
at cost far greater to the public than nor
NAL price adjustments based on cost of pro-
duction.