The Wilmington morning star., 1945-09-12
BY VERNON EDWARDS

0tiii'' sept. u
lnree key men are plotting hi,
tpical American industrial, 80.
through the uncharted channels =,
reconversion.
One is the Socialist mayor. an.
other a top industrialist, and ~.
last labor leader.
During the war, they forgot all
dl11erences to work together and
help set arms production records
for their city and nation. In tbeSs
first days of peace, they've stiII
stuck together, hopeful of lickins
the threat Of mass unemplovmers
and bringing a new boom to
Bridgeport.
But these men, each of whom
won a home front badge of honor
are split now on one vital recon-
version question; Washingtons
role in leading the country toward
the healthy, prosperous DAYS NJ
peace. Their ideas represent the
three big segments of thought On
this issue from coast to coast.
Take the mayor, Jasper Nc.
Levy. He's pretty optimistic about
Bridgeport's future. Like most
men there, he thinks that many
of the $4,000 war workers who lost
their jobs after the japanese sur.
render will get new work right in
Bridgeport, turning out civilian
goods.
However this cagy, veteran
mayor knows that a certain mum.
Der, maybe as high as 10000
won't find new jobs. In addition
he must make plans for the city's
$4,000 servicemen.
To give jobs to these men and
women, McLevy has a public
works program. It calls for the
building of sewage disposal plants,
a new bus terminal, road improve.
ments and increased harbor facil.
tiles.
But all these things take big
money-far more than even
boom town like Bridgeport can
pay out. McLevy says the Gov.
eminent and State must foot most
of these bills-that unemployment
after all, is not the problem Of
any single city.
And he's looking for such out.
side help as an FILA project to
house t h e thousands of migrant
workers who want to stay on in
Bridgeport - to give new jobs to
the carpenters, painters, contrac.
tors, lumbermen, etc.
AS McLevy sees it, Bridgeport
should hear the loose cash jingle
along Main Street again-provided
Washington takes the lead with a
free spending, overall recover.
sion program.
i Just opposite to that is the pc.
sition of able, energetic Herman
Steinkraus, pre- d emit Of the
Bridgeport Brass Co.
Steinkraus also sees big things
ahead for both Bridgeport and
America. But he sees the boom
coming from big business, I'm.
hampered by Washington restric'
tons.
This industrialist points to his
own firm. Soon after his war or.
ders were cancelled, $500 workers
were temporarily laid off, In a
very short time, however, he
plans to begin rehiring. And
eventually, Bridgeport B ass will
employ from 60 to 70 per cent
more workers than before Pearl
Harbor.
Steinkraus points out that his
firm expects to be doing 50 per
cent more business after recover
sion than in 1889. His huge plants
will be given a $1,000, 900 remodel
ing to fit them for huge civl'.41
orders. All that's necessary now
for a mighty production cycle to
begin is for his new tools to be
installed, for raw material to be-
come available. and, according 10
him, for wartime price restrlc'
tons to end.
Unlike the Mayor, whom he
highly respects, Steinkraus wants
less and less Washington leader.
ship. He points out that he must
operate under old OPA ceiling
prices. And he threatens to opel.
ate under loss for 80 days Il
necessary, Just to prove to WASH
ington that those ceilings must Do
raised.
Alex Cashin international dele
gate of Local 800 of the CLIO Mlne'
Mill and Snelters Union, when ln'
cludes most of Steinkraus "olA'
ers, wants the whole problem ~
be settled in Washington. j,
A veteran union man VINO wen
remembers d epre sion Gays
Cashin refuses to look at recon-.
version as local issue hs ~
fighting for passage OF the iu,
employment bill. for lnc1edI s.
unemployment compensatory ~.
! breaking of the Little o'eei i tor
mula, for paid transpor'atioh ~ IN
ex-war workers to new loo9
other states. .,,r+
And Cashin demands sia got,
Government controlled pun"
works program. He says; m
I'VE spend two billion dollai4 t,st
the atomic bomb and thoug Nv ',,
was a bargain. How ABOUT s sc
| h;,1;onc IN create Jobs, ana wv