Evening star., 1951-11-08
Living Standard Cut
For 45% by Initiation,
Secretary 1obin Says
By james Y. Newton

BY james 7. Newton
Star Siaff Correspondent ..,
NEW YORK, Nov. 8. Labor
Secretary Tobin declared today
the living standards of As per, cent
of the Nations wage earnerS have
dropped because their pay has
failed to keep pace with the cost
|of living.
He said that 20 million workers
plus their families are affected by
this situation which has developed
because of spiraling prices since
early in 1850. For them, he added,
lit means less food, poorer clothing
for the Children decline in buy
ing power Of about So billion.
Mr.. Tobin told the CIO conven-
tion that while this large drop in
purchasing power "is no threat to
our overall economic well being
now-it points to a weak spot in
our wage machinery that could
have serious economic conse-
quences later on" when the coun-
try is caught up, in defense pro-
duction.
Many in White Collar Jobs.
For the most part, Mr., Tobin
said, those wage earners whose pay
has not kept pace with living costs
belong to that segment of the
American labor force that still has
not been organized by trade
unions" A great many, he added,
are white collar workers, "a field
that still is more than IS per cent
on-union"
Mr.. Tobin declared that a cure
would be for the unions ito Or
ganize the unorganized." He
added, however, that the Govern
ment "does not ana should not
compel workers to join union"
At another point. Mr. Tobin
said: my concern is with keep
ing bread and meat on the tables
of 20 million American families.
May Increase Pressure.
sand if we have to increase in
fiationary pressures in order to do
1T. there are other ways to COM
|pensate for it. We can compensate
through taxation and greater pro-
'ductivity and tighter credit con-
trolls"
Earlier. the CIO political leader
chided the administration about
mink coats and deep freezes" but
said the CIO was more concerned
about the millions and millions
of dollars that are stolen from the
people Of this country every year
by the lobbyists for special inter-
ests in the Halls of Congress.
Jack Kroll. head of the Political
Action Committee. indicated the
CIO regards the inducements of
various administration officials as
|picayunish as compared to the
activities of others in Washington,
largely on the Republican side.
Sure, I'm concerned about
mink coats and deep freezes" Mr..
Kroll told the CIO convention.
They have no place in our po-
'litical life.
I'm concerned a lot about them
but I'm more concerned-an
awful lot more concerned-about
the millions and millions of dol
lars that are stolen from the peo-
pie Of this country every year by
the lobbyists for the special in
terests in the Halls Of Congress.
"Mink Coats Come High"
What the hell is a mink coat
compared to a tidelands oil steal?"
Mr.. Kroll asked. What the hell
lis a deep freeze compared to a
monopoly strangelhold on natural
gas rates? And what's a bottle
Iof perfume compared to a Cape
hart amendment in the price con-
troll bill?
"It's going to take more than a
mink coat to stop us from talking
about the price control law and
it's going to take more than a
deep freeze to stop us from talk
ing about the loopholes in the
tax law.
Mink coats come high-but
they don't come that high" Mr..
Kroll concluded.
Earlier, Mr.. Kroll said the CIO
was not interested "in candidates
who have nothing to offer except
a different party labe!.
We're not interested in stumble
buns or the stooges OF gangsters
or organized crime"
-. 1--WE do not believe that a
man is evil because he is a Re-
publican or that a man is good
because he is a Democrat"
He said there are loyal men
and women of principle" in Con-
gress Of both parties-people who
have stood UP and been counted
on the side of the people"