Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-12-17
Regional
Views
By Richard Gosser
Vice-President
international UAW>ClO

Management has said repeatedly that wage
increases alone are not the answer, by a long
way, to Labors economic problem.
The CIO, through responsible leadership.
has agreed that this is so.
There are other considerations, other ways
and means of reaching the proper solution to
the question of what the wage Garner wants
and needs.
Where does the worker gain, says manage
ment, when he is given dime, but called upon
to spend fifty cents more for his necessities for
every dime he receives in extra wages?
We agree. There certainly has to be
stopping point. Paper wages are not real
wages Any gains we make must be measured
in terms of increased purchasing power.
To bring about a sane and sensible solution
is the most important single problem facing all
of us today - management, the stockholders
who employ management, labor, and the poor
folks who can't very well have voice in such
things-the widows, pensioners, and those liv-
ing on insurance benefits, etc.
How often have we heard it repeated that
today's wages would be wonderful, If only we
had 1899 prices Amen, we'll say it again, and
we'll be so right
There IS going to have to be fourth
round of wage increases at this time. Even
young Henry Ford agrees to that. But we IN
the CIO agree that this fourth round neces-
sary as it is, cannot possibly, in itself, supply
the answer to our economic problem.
What we need in America right now is
price stabilization at least until this postwar
initiation crisis is past At time when the
consuming public has not begun to catch up on
the huge backlog of things it would like to
have but>can't afford, it is difficult indeed to
imagine in the face of these Shortages very
roapv manufacturers voluntarily d uCln
prices.
The tragic part of the situation is that
customarily prices do not drop until wages
have dropped and this is not natural thing.
Production and more production should result
in lower prices, because by increased produc-
ton the unit cost is lowered That's the basic
principle of mass production in the first place.
Can anyone say that there isn't yet a tre-
mendous market for all the automobiles that
are manufactured, for instance? We know that
the recent world war makes this so, for mil
lions of automobiles were not produced that
would have found ready market from 1912
to 1946 But the truth of the matter is that
despite the clamor for "autos at any price,
there are millions of people who would like to
own one but can't afford it if they are to at
tempt to feed and clothe their families.
In the matter of housing, even if the 80th
Congress had not succombed to the pressure
and favors of lobbyists from the real estate
and lumber interests, we would still be suffer-
ing from an acute shortage of decent housing.
AS it is, homes are priced far beyond the wage
earner's envelope. A home that in 1889 sold
for SIS, 900 now sells for from 900 to $4,000.
When groceries and common necessities gobble
UP the weekly paycheck how can the average
breadwinner dream of buying home in the
near future?
solution will not be brought about by
happenstance. Guesswork and Wishful think
ing will not supply the answer. Faith hope,
and charity must be accompanied by studied
cooperation on the part of those who have it
within their power to plan the way out of the
dilemma.
conference should be called--a nation
wide parley of leaders of all groups, with
spokesmen who are able to speak with author
ity, to meet together and plan for the economic
security of all, working closely with govern
mental representatives acting in an advisory
capacity.
It can be done-if everyone wants to do it
but without good faith and forward think
ing we will continue as in the past Everyone
knows THAT isn't goodl