The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1951-03-08
United Labor Statement

have decided that to continue to
serve on defense agencies would
bring about no constructive results
and would merely delude the public
and the wage earners we represent
into believing that labor acquiesces
in what is being done.
"In the interests of our country
and the cause Of international peace
and freedom to which it is commit
ted, we stand ready to meet with
responsible representative Of our
Government to continue to seek a
remedy for the insupportable con-
ditions facing US.
Wages
"The Director of Economic Stab
ilization has signed a wage order
which we know to be unfair, un-
workable and unjust. Wages and
salaries of all Americans are now
bound under the most rigid controls
in the history Of our country.
"Wage Order Number 6 has been
given the force of law by Mr.. Eric
Johnston's signature. Yet, even as
he did so, he admitted that this
Order requires fundamental revis-
ion and improvement to correct
some of the grave inequities ap-
parent on its face.
"Mr. Johnston's suggestions for
correcting these grave injustices
are inadequate. They do not meet
the needs Of American workers.
Mr.. Johnston's recommendations
freeze injustice by denying less
privileged workers the right to OBJ
tain through collective bargaining
the benefits enjoyed in substantial
segments of industry.
"Labor's representatives cannot
in good conscience return to the
Wage Sterilization Board which
voted Order Number 6, nor can we
acquiesce in the unfair wage policy
enunciated by Mr.. Johnston.
eve have, however, publicly stat
ed, and we now reiterate, that we
are prepared to participate in a re-
constituted tri-partite wage stabil-
ization and disputes board which
would administer fair and equit-
able wage policy.
Prices
"While wages and salaries are
being brought under strict control
the price freeze has been revoked.
The Price Sterilization Admins
traitor, with the full approval of the
Director Of Economic Sterilization,
has issued a price order under
which 100000 stores will establish
their own price ceilings on the
basis of it's past margin of profit
on each item sold.
"By officially validating the
margin of profit in effect on FEB.
"a, the order legalizes every illegal
price mark-up since the Jan. %
freeze order. Higher and higher
prices are built into the price for
mula by it's reliance on margin of
profit for computing the legal
price.
"For example, the wholesale cost
of a workshirt to the retailer was
So and has now gone to $3.50. The
retailers price to the consumer was
So. Under the price order, the new
ceiling price will be $3.75. In other
words, an extra 25 cents of profit
not reflected by cost has been add
ed by the retailer with official
sanction.
"No customer will be able to
check whether the retailer is sell
ing his product at price based on
the regulation. There will be no
such thing as a dollar-and-cent
price ceiling for any commodity,
except the price which the retailer
sets. There will be no posting of
ceiling prices. Enforcement is op-
viously impossible, even if it were
intended.
"At a time when fixed formulas
are being applied to wages, bust
ness is being allowed to write its
own ceiling prices. Wages are froz-
en-. Nothing else in the economy
has been frozen.
ManpOwer
During the past two weeks we
have been unable to achieve an iota
of progress toward the establish
ment of administrative machinery
and policies on manpower that