Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-05-03
What's
New?
By
Edudrd Duck
Local II
Educational
Director
ITS PEACHY!'
Director

So spoke the landlords Of
Sarasota, Florida.
Guess what they were re-
ferring TO?
That's right - OPA rent
control had been lifted.
But the veterans and their
families, together with thou
sands of middle class folks of
Southern-style incc ne, looked
at it differently.
Liberation from "OPA Fas-
cism" was gleefully celebrated
by host of joyous landlords.
They lost little time in notify
ing tenants that the masque-
rade has ended. No sooner had
ceiling prices on rentals been
removed than the tenants were
greeted with the announce
ment that the ante had been
upped in verious amounts
ranging from 80 to 100 per
cent.
School teachers, white coll
lar workers and clerical en-
ployees were among those
hardest hit. The educational
system of the city was threat
ened with serious trouble as
the teachers avowed that they
found it impossible TO remain
in Sarasota and meet the high
rental cost.
Yes, it was "peachy" for
those who took advantage of
an opportunity to gouge their
fellowmen. But it wasn't so
fine for the lady who had her
rent raised overnight from
$50 to $50 dollars per month,
with the alternative of paying
up or moving out of town,
there being no possible chance
of finding another apartment
in Sarasota.
The returning veterans
didn't think the situation call
ed for levity, either, when
Upon returning home after an
absence Of more than three
years they were greeted with
the worst housing shortage the
nation had ever witnessed.
DREAM
The postwar dream OF a
new home has vanished for
millions of us, whether we live
in Sarasota, Hoboken, or To-
ledo, Ohio. The homes which
are being erected are mostly
In the bracket which sell for
a price between $500 and
$4,000 dollars. And that
"ain't hay!"
You don't have TO 60 to
Florida to find greedy people.
The interests which influence
the individual cities politics
are the same as those which
lobby extensively and expen-
sively in Columbus, Lansing,
Albany, Reading, or any other
state capitol. The same buSi-
nessmen who talk turkey TO
"the peoples" representatives
at the Toledo Club ride in the
club cars between here and
Washington, slipping scotch
and soda while they devise
various ways and means of
making more money for them
selves by milking the con-
sumner and Stacking the work
ingman.
Which recalls to mind the
occasion in 1914 when the
kingpin of Toledo's organized
landlords $50 he claims),
namely one d. A. Merritt,
gathered a bunch together and
brought them into City Coun-
ell to heckle yours truly and
his (Merritt's) other arch
from the OPA Labor
Advisory Committee when we
were fighting for the we'll
known Black Market Ordi-
nance.
OUT THEY COME
IL rent control and other
price controls are swept aside
there is little doubt that all the
lovely things and necessary
items, such as nylonS, white
shirts and other wearing APP
parel, electric appliances and
perhaps furniture, will come
from out of nowhere to glad
den the hearts OF the consum-
ing public.
Initiation and depressions
benefit only the rich, those
who own the land and prop
Arty. Those of us who are APP
plying our own pet economic
theories about what will hap
pen when OPA is abolished
should take heed from what
happened after the end OF
World War /, when prices
cared TO unbelievable
Ieights.
Let's not parrot the mouth
ngs of Spokesmen for the spe-
.ial interests by decrying price
ontrol. II is the only saliva
ion for the people of America
t this time. Let's put on our
linking caps and realize that
Germany and al of Europe
lave never recovered from the