The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-12-28
Industry Can Afford To Strike

This column has called attention previous the
established fact that industry strike; that labor stands
but because industries like the automobile and STEEL apparently
want to do only one thing and that to sit tight try
organizations the has
nothing that indicates desire to arrive at agreement
with the workers and "the public be damned"
1t is timely to review the probable why the indus
tries position take the stand that they do against
fair their workers. apparently in hopes of
destroying the solidarity of the labor organizations and utterly
dsregardng their responsibilities to the public in general by
delaying production of goods sorely needed.
The refusal of the to their books for in
pecton understandable nasmuch as the accounts OF this
industrial corporation like the majority of others would dis
close the tremendous profits for which the people Of the nation
bed during the emergency
report by the United States Department of Commerce
shows that the annual profits of all corporations after
taxes in the prewar wears of 93639 were 900 600
ing the years. these corporations averaged clear after
profits of $9227 This report states that
If nrohabe that these corporations will make clear profits
10 billion dollars in 1916 And this obvious
y due to the repeal of the profits tax force during
the years.
corporations according to Department of Com
merce estimate accumulated IN 90 months OF war POI billion
dollars profits after approximately half of which they
distributed to stockholders and left the other half In their al
ready bullying treasures.
ndustrys greatest hole card its fights with the workers
lies in the carback credit in taxes has paid during the war
period This carrback provision totals $50 billion dollars and
the provision that if business enterprise which has paid
profit taxes during the period fails to make as
much profits made during the preWar years. II VIII pei
reimbursed for the difference by the United States Treasury
So industry is not concerned about loss of profits.
This year probably about loss of prof
1896 and this obviously the for the att
the of General Motors the present strike
by workers for living This enterprise without doubt
attitude that any profits made this would go
profits tax anyhow and the fact
that the public needs bothers them not in the least In
action taken by the of that industry and IN
proposals has made it is clear that they consider
the public only victim to be bled for possible
cent of profit
n course, feature of the unemploy
situation, and emphasizes the total lack of planning and
control by representative government from which we nave
right expect planning and control in the public interest
the urgent need of intelligent political action by all
the people for their projections for the election OF rep
with social consciousness and integrity This
something cannot et George do This must do for
ourselves stand convicted of failing in responsibility
citizens of democracy.
For the immediate time citizen interested IN the well
of his fellows and in democracy we'll afford to sit
down write letter to the president and to the represen
congress urging end to this panles drifting back
normacy which appears be the plan of many industries
supney approved by majority of congress- and not
milany enough disapproved by the president Ii enough
would write such letters it certain that conditions would be
welfare of the country and its people,