The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-01-25
The Steel Strike


workers strike than in the automobile workers and the meat
workers strikes The steel industry the recognized basic
stop production AS example of this fact may be cited that
each of the strike in the Pittsburgh district alone
loss of sufficient basic steel production make 1920 auto
mobiles 769,230 kitchen ranges
Like the General Motors management and the meat pack
have refused to meet the proposals for
settlement with he workers on the schedue OF pay suggested
by the President which much lower than the original de-
of the workers but accepted by them There other
conclusion to be drawn from this refusal of the steel manage
except that it their intent to break the union organi
of the workers The history of the steel
substantiates his.
The steel industry August grudgingy raised
wages workers about 1919 to offset in part the
elimination of the 12hou day There further increase
the wenes and in 1924 the hourly earnings of all
eeworker 64c In 1929 the had risen to
&c an hour. The work week then SIS hours week
without overtime shift premiums vacations And in
1929 with increase in earnings of &c hour
the 1924 the steel workers produced 46 steel
in 1929 than they did in 1924
1924 profits by the industry acknowledged to be
$188,000000. If to accept that fa profit
for the industry make the 1924929 then the
profits that period amounted to $102O 100000 which
the amount by which the total profits for that period
ceeded the annual profits made in 1924.
Coming down to recent years. reports show that
acknowledged" profits which does not include concealed
profits he industry recognized adept at hiding prof
276 higher before taxes in the 194O1944 than
in the peace-tme years 1935939. And reports in steel
Magazine that acknowledged" profits 1915 con-
tnued at high level despite cubacks after the end of
contained the 1914 report of the u S. Steel
Corporation that he Bureau Internal caught
it effort to hide profits 1t disaowed and the corpora
ton paid $S50OOO0 in depreciation charges which had
made.
The industry about billion dollars better off
result years of production financial
sources and net current assets AFTER dividends.
Qualified experts state that the industry produce S5
millions tons in 1916 with workers
production would have required before the
increased worker output brought about by installation of
modern low-cost facilities built during the war; emna-
equipment reliably estimated that the
industry pay $500 day increase and make net
profit AFTER TAXES of S483 million or 1854 million more
than 1914 and four times the annual profit the
years of 1935-39.
Do you think the steel industry case in refusing
eet The
President?
Let's look at the steel workers side of the case
Increasing of living that takes about $145
to buy much clothing and food $1OO bought in
January 1941
The Heller Committee for Research in Social Economies
University California has found that the
earner family requires weekly earnings of at least S58 to
maintain standards of decency and health The present
of the steel worker $156 below that minimum and
were granted it would still be $500 week below it,
former steel workers returning the
peaceme jobs with 800 increase in present wages
will be financially off than when they in the
Don't you think the workers have a case? a.
what be done the face of the ruthless refusal
the steel industry to consider the interests of
the workers and the interests of the nation whole?
There already talk about the taking -
operation of the industry to protect the pubcs
The CLIO has proposed to the President that the
and start operation of the millions of dollars
production plants Doesn't this sensible
proposal you? Here the people, and have paid for
these plants standing idle while free enterprise
workers in required numbers to produce what need
available And look at the profits the .,
people could make by producing the steel the people need
Don't you think the CLIO has something in the suggestion?
If you do, let the President know it. %
here is something else that it to deserves -
our most consideration suppressed report of the
Office Mobilization and Reconversion that the y
pay the worker in all manufacturing
Industries fallen % % This according
stascans that there will be SGT billion dollars less in
envelope. And the u S. Bureau of Labor
increases basic and salaries
oon the national pay envelope will shrink up 1886 billions
dollars with twelve and half million workers
ooyed And the bureau adds: with 1875 million Al
probably not realistic that 1914
wage maintained drop of 1919 in the level
wage would cut total salary income $58 billion
ollars." There is your purchasing power gone. ua
profits boarded and idle in Pr
industry channeed into the pockets of the
heading directly into depression such 10
experienced before We must all be the side
ready to take place with them in No
harity's bread lines. Sill
de
Demagogue Wheeler gu,