Evening star., 1947-02-21
Deprecated Pay Fails
10 Give Decent Livinq,
Reuther Declares
JAW Leader Tells Senate
Committee Security for
Workers Is Essential
By james Y. Newton

Walter P. Reuther, president
of the CIO- United Auto Workers,
told the Senate Labor Committee
today that workers wages have
deprecated to the point where
they fail to provide a decent
living.
He added that there is nothing in
the legislation before Congress that
will give the worker sense Of
security or that will avert the in
dustrial conflict that will newt
ably grow out OF this situation If 1t
is not corrected"
Mr.. Reuther was drawn into re-
peated verbal exchanges with men,
bers of the committee, especially
Chairman Taft and Senator Ball,
Republican, of Minnesota. The latter
accused the union head of advocat-
ing Socialism" in his views on profit,
prices and wages.
Urges Full Employment.
| At one point, Mr.. Reuther said
that where property rights run
counter to human rights, human
rights must take precedence" The
labor leader said during the recon-
version period 1--WE took care of ma
chimes but we didn't take care of
men. We took care of profits but
we didn't take care of human beings
and that's what wrong"
He added that the Nation must
have full employment
Aren't 81 million employed full
employment" asked Senator Ball.
"It is not enough to be fully en-
ployed. The workers must be en-
ployed at wages where they can buy
the products of farm and industry
American workers will judge our
free enterprise system by its per-
formance."
Denies Ball Charge.
"You are advocating a socialist
economy for the United States"
Senator Ball commented.
mo" Mr.. Reuther replied, II want
the free enterprise system to be
continued. But it can survive only
if it is made to work. 1t did not
work in 1929 and what happened
then had a lot to do with what hap
pened later in Germany"
Earlier, the Senate Committee
heard George Q. Lynch, vice presi-
dent of the AFL Metal Trades De-
partment, advocate amendment of
the National Labor Relations Act.
He was the first union witness to
testify in favor of revision of labor
laws.
Mr.. Lynch told the committee that
workers who strike to force employ
ers to violate the Wagner Act should
be deprived of their rights under the
act. He referred to instances where
a minority group in a plant, after
losing a bargaining election, walk
out in an effort to force the manage
ment to recognize their union.
Mr.. Reuther said that while the
average auto worker has received
substantial increase in cash wages,
he actually earns cents an hour
less in terms of buying power than
he did in 1910. He said the aver
age wage now is $500 a week
compared with $35.76 in 1910, but
81 per cent increase in living
cost has reduced the buying power
of the present wage to $3.50.
He said that by contrast, the
automobile industry this year looks
forward to record-breaking profits.
He estimated the industry's 1947
profits before taxes at $4,000, ,000,-
900, compared to prewar average
of $3.50, ,00O, 900.
Need for Human Security.
These facts and figures" Mr..
Reuther said, show unmistakably
that the wage, price, profit rela-
tionship in our economy is out of
joint and unless that relationship
is equitably adjusted We will have
established the prewar pattern