The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1948-05-20
SIR Ms
df7I(44ERRHKEY

Regardless of the railroad situa
tion, there looms ahead a picture
of tremendous struggle between
unions and big employers.
Looking ahead to this struggle
there is a big fact that needs un-
derstanding.
1t has nothing to do with the
merits of any wage situation. II
has to do with the whole situation
Since the end of the shooting wal
we have had waves of raises, alter
mating between wages and prices
Prices have pretty much held the
lead.
Because prices have held the lead
we come again to a set of wage
demands, some formulated, some
being formulated.
The stated purpose of these new
demands is to compensate for the
lead held by the cost of living.
What is going to happen if, hav-
ing secured new wage gains, the
workers find that again the cost
of living keeps the lead?
The question isn't funny and
there has to be an answer. The
nature of the answer is all-impor-
tant to the United States and to its
institutions. Make no mistake about
it.
In the "dear dead days beyond
recalr' depression usually provided
the answer.
If it were not for the Marshall
Plan and for the still untitled def
icit in production, depression easily
enough might repeat. But depres-
sion is not in the picture for at
least another five years, even
though year ago it seemed as if
we might have one, big or little.
There has to come a point, in
any upward spiral where somebody
yells, "hey, this is no good"-or
where the spiral, having got top
heavy, collapses of its own weight.
Initiation, under a real head of
steam, can be the thing that would
make a spiral get top-heavy. Per-
haps we should say it could" not
"can".
For a government girding itself
in preparation against attack, is
bound to put on all brakes it can
command to prevent wild initiation.
1t seems to be getting fairly
lear that this nation faces some
thing very important to its future.
Big employers, laying back on
heir launches, do not present the
answer.
The current talk about a stiff
1ecked resistance, to the point
where union treasures go flat and
men get hungry enough to go back
% work isn't craftsmanship. 1t could
,e terrific aggravation, feeding
,nly the communist revolutionaries
who hate democracy.
Here is a fact: A wage structure
hat lets prices keep inching ahead
S structure in which there is con-
inuous decline in real wages. In
erms of life that means a contin-
lousiy diminishing standard of liv-
ng.
There we have the great puzzle
# the day. The fascinating and
-ital fact about the United States
S that there has been a constant
y rising standard of living. 1t has
'een the marvel and the envy of
he world.
We have so much that we can
kim off billions for the help of |
ther nations.
Do we approach the point where
We cannot help ourselves 1t re-
Mains to be seen.
One thing is sure and that is
hat ull-bellowing back and forth
5 not the answer. Not by that pro-
edure will we halt the winning
tride of prices. Not by that pro-
edure will we enable wages to
eep step, so that there is not a
teady attrition of the workers
ubstance.
One needs the cool approach of
he scientist to see that something
cry basic is needed if we are to
void a situation that can keep this
alton weak. 1t is time for states
There are many things
hat can be done. Of course
olitical year is a bad time for
tatesmanship, but national welfare
eally should come first.
We shall see what we shall see,
ut we stand a good chance, as of !
ow, that we shall see matters
luch worse before they take
lrn for constructive hetterment, +,