Evening star., 1946-03-16

Ine cost OF the strike to the work
ers directly involved is estimated b,
their leaders at $125,0O0, 900; thei,
employers think it was is or 20 mil
lion more than that. The cost ir
loss of production is estimated a
$500 ,000,00 Indirect losses, it i.
agreed, run the total cost of thu
strike up to at least a billion dollars
One group of 175,OO0 men tool
that loss Of $125,000 900. One cor.
poration took that loss of $500, ,000,.
600. Who'll take the cost of thu
legislative battle now under way L
not so clear. Probably just the peo.
PIE OF the United States For the
two or three million men anc
women who would be benefited BY
the proposed new basic wage art
not striking-although a lot of then
are declining jobs at present low
rates. They are leaving their fight
In the hands OF their elected repre-
sentatives.
Bitter Fight Indicated.
Some OF these elected representa-
tives, in the Senate and the House
are going to bat for them. President
Truman is doing the same. But
some members of both houses are
opposed to the increase. Some, in
deed, are bitterly determined that
the increase shall not be granted
and are prepared, if necessary, to
hold out as long as General Motors
held out. This was indicated the
day the debate on the bill opened
Two amendments of the type
called riders" were offered. These
are amendments that have nothing
to do with the purpose .. ..le bill
but they must be debated and they
will be, long and acrimoniously
since they are of a controversial
nature. One, by Senator Eastland
Democrat, of Mississippi. would at
tach to the bill the provisions OF
an "antiracketeering" bill, which
already has stirred up much bad
blood in the House. Senator East
lands obvious desire is to delay and
defeat the minimum-wage bill. It
is remembered that during the
successful filibuster against the
fair employment practice bill, led
by himself and his colleague, Sena-
tor Bilbo, the latter announced that
he was also prepared to f1libuster
against the minimum wage bill. The
effort now to attach the antirack-
eteering rider will serve the same
purpose as an open filibuster.
The other rider. offered by Sena-
tor Thomas, Democrat, of Okla
homa. is even more clearly irrele-
want and it must be assumed that
he has no better purpose in mind
than has Senator Eastland. This
amendment would bar Government
agencies from fixing margin require
ments for traders on commodity ex-
changes. A part of Senator Thomas
feud with Chester Bowles over
speculative cotton prices, it has no
remote connection with the mini
mum wage question.
Loss In Buying Power.
So the battle will be long. When
1t is said 1t will be costly the refer
ence is not to the loss OF the Sen
ate's time. That has not proved to
be worth a great deal during the
present session, as shown by the
amount they permitted to be wasted
on the earlier fllibuster, a filibuster
theA could have stopped in a couple
OF days had they so desired. Since
the Senators themselves place so
little value on their time, 1t must
not be worth much.
The real cost to the country will
be found in the loss of purchasing
power. Every penny added to the
hourly wage Of the underpaid mil
lions Is direct purchasing power.