The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1945-11-22
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4 in WASHINGTON
by Walter Sheod
WNU Correspondent
Unions More Powerful
Now Than in 1919
WNU Washington Bureau
1916 Eye ST.. N. W

history is repeating itself in the
IL labor field. Following World
War I there was a wave of strikes
which involved. in 1919. approximate
" four million workers. or almost
q per cent of the entire industrial
working force.
Today. while less than 200. 900 men
are now on strike. it is estimated
that before the end of the year or
shortly thereafter there may be
about three million strikers or about
II per cent of the total workers.
The difference is that in 1919 unions
we're not as tightly organized. they
did not have as many rights. there
was no collective bargaining. Unions
were financially unable to carry the
load of a long strike in those days.
Now unions are highly organized.
have more members. their treasures
are bullying, and they are able to
hire the best economists. publicity
men and research organizations on
a par with Big Business. In addi-
ton, they have favorable laws as
bulwarks and a basis for their
stands. They are conducting a high
ly organized propaganda or publicity
campaign. smart and effective.
Among these campaigns is n de-
signed to WOO the farmers.
The Economic Outlook" a month
ly publication Of the department Of
research and education of the CLIO
in Washington. in its current issue.
is entirely devoted to propaganda
seeking to bridge the gap between
the farmer and the city worker.
six out of seven Americans who
work for a living are in overalls."
the article says. land five of the
seven work for wages; one of the
seven works at farming. These men
and women and their families form
most Of the public These are the
people who make up the bulk of the
consuming class. The dollars they
earn and spend make Americas
economic machine tick.
Issue Must Be Settled
Nov that the war is over. men
In ~overalls have a fight on their
hands to make America a full pro-
duction country in peace as well as
in war. Not all Americans agree.
The time is here when that issue
must be settled. Wage n are
the first to join the issue. for un-
employment is growing. It's a strug-
gle for life. for the right to work.
for the right to raise a family by
decent living standards. And unless
these men in overalls win the battle
for full production. full employment
and full wages now. it won't be long
before farmers in overalls are en-
gagged in a life and death struggle
for good markets at parity prices.
For all men in overalls r in the
same boat. they ride the waves of
prosperity together, they sink to de-
preston together. If wage earners
are making money. so are farmers.
If men walk the streets looking for
work, men on farms burn wheat.
dump milk. leave cotton unpicked.
That's depression. and Main street
suffers while Wall street trembles.
Studies by the U. S. federal trade
commission indicate that factory la
Dor cost of farm machinery is only
a small part Of the total Price
charged to farmers. For example. a
three-bottom tractor pillow for which
farmers paid Sl53.50 had a manu-
featuring labor cost Of only SILT
For a cream separator. which had
about the highest manufa curing
cost Of any agricultural implement,
the cost was $500. "a and only sl4 66
went to the wage earners who pro-
duced it. On that cream separator.
the n anufacturer's profits ran to 10
per cent and the retailers margin to
% per cen OF the selling price.