Evening star., 1946-12-16

Truman's labor-management con-
ference.
In the meantime CIO President
Philip Murray renewed his con-
tention that present industry profit
levels justify a new wage increase
for labor. His organizations three
biggest mions-steel, auto and elec-
trical-met today in Pittsburgh to
plan joint strategy for new round
Of demands.
Mr.. Murray sent a report to Presi-
dent Truman's Council of Economic
Advisers recommending special
taxes on the loot of postwar profit
eers and spectators" He said a
recent OPA report bore out his con-
tention that manufacturing price in
creases have been 40 times the
amount necessary to offset wage in
creases with no squeeze on profits. "
First Report Due Wednesday.
The CIO chief called on the coun-
Gil to include the profit taxation
recommendation in its forthcoming
report to Mr.. Truman along with
findings that workers now are en-
titled to further wage raises and that
management, rather than unions
was responsible for postwar strikes
The newly established Economic
Council, headed by Edwin G. Nourse
former vice president of the Brook
ings Institution, is to make its ini-
tial report to Mr.. Truman Wednes-
day. This report will be followed by
q proposed message for Mr.. Truman
to send to Congress In January on
the economic state of the Nation.
I'VE are at a turning point in oul
economic life," Mr.. Murray said in
his recommendations. 1--WE are in
the midst of a boom-and-bust eco
nonic psychology.
There is not an economist ir
America who does not predict bust
to follow our present boom. It Is
purely a question of when the bust
will occur
Murray Puts Blame on Industry.
ut is generally agreed that the
bust will occur mainly for two
reasons: ID The level of consumer
income is not sufficient to support
high demand and high production;
ca prices and profits are at in
hated levels.
"At present, prices are higher
than at any period in our history
and have reached this point be-
cause of the greedy desire for exhor-
bitant profits by big business"
On his argument that postwar
strikes have been industry's fault
Mr.. Murray said:
Monopoly interests, not content
with the highest profits in theil
history, have had the crowning ar.
rogance to mobilize their vast prop.
aganda machinery to persuade the
American people, 80 per cent oi
whom are themselves wage and sal.
ary earners, that labor Is to blame
for inflationary prices, shortages
and production delays"
"The Council has the urgent re.
SponSibility of re-afi1rming the facts
that the strikes and shortages o.
1916 reflected the refusal of ths
biggest monopolies to accept tn.
national wage policy of the Unitee
States Government, their refusal tx
bargain on terms found perfectly
reasonable by Government media.
tors, and their desire to destro,
price controls by creating artificia
shortages. Corporation losses vert
paid by the Government through re.
funds of wartime excess profits taxes
The workers and the people had M
such protection"
Mr.. Murray said labor disputes
cannot be solved by amending the
Wagner Act nor "by other Gripping
anti-labor legislation" but only BY
solutions to our economic Ills
through raising wages and enactine
additional social legislation.