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Show THE SEARCHLIGHT Labor Demands Price Rollback Delegates and special representatives of affihated CLO unions in conference with the Executive Board of the CIO Friday began deliberations on wartime policies. Prevailing opinion among the delegates was that the CIO would insist on new wage adjustments for industrial workers unless the cost of living shall be rolled back to price levels obtaining on September 15, 1942. A distinct trend among the CIO leaders indicated that hereafter the CIO would stress downward revisions of the cost of living as a paramount union principle for the duration, at least. That tendency in the CIO is in line with sentiment in the A. F. of L. Officials of that organization have become caustic in their ecomments about the failure of Prentiss M. Brown to make more than a gesture toward reduction of price levels. The A. F. of L. wants price levels rolled back to May 15, 1942. George Meany, Secretary of the AFL, said: ‘Prentiss M. Brown has announced with Labor's New Problem (Continued from page 1) er Washington will be the focal point of negotiations. Labor executives will give increasing attention to the activities and outlook of price control boards. They will step up participation in Federal agencies. The need to standardize price levels of agriculture and processing will shortly become the first concern of labor. Political activity must be intensified. Labor legislation must be protected against unserupulous enemies. Collective bargaining may function on a national rather than on an industrywide scale. In the not far distant future labor, agriculture, and industry may sit down together at the bargaining table in Washington to determine what the workingman shall earn, what the farmer shall receive for his products, and what processing and _ profit charge industry may be permitted to make. It will, of course, be in the interest of all three groups to work out their problems by negotiation without government interference. manifest pride, that on June 1st the prices of seven articles of food will be rolled back 10%. ‘““A reduction of 10% of 100% on seven items, when an increase and more has on dozens of items, is not enough. ‘““We ask that the retail price taken place value of every staple food—not just a handful of items, but every item that ranks as a necessity— must be rolled back to whatever the retail price was on May 15, 1942. ‘‘Tf in the case of a particular food item this means a rollback of 25%, then that is just what we want—a rollback of 25% on thai item. ’’ The CIO conference condemned John IL. Lewis, president of the coal miners, in the following terms: ‘‘He has jeopardized the just demands of the United Mine Workers of America by exploiting the injustices in the mining industry in furtherance of his personal and _ political vendetta against the president of the United States, our commander in chief.’’ But, with or without governmental intervention the cost of living cannot be allowed to run wild when wages and profits are put under enforced ceilings and stringent regulation. There must be comparable regulation and control over prices, wages, and profits. Social Security~ (Continued from preceding page) of world economy. Such study need not be left to government experts, or to research de partments of national trade associations. Kivery labor union, every club, every organization in the country contains individuals who can and should dedicate themselves to the development of a program of human security. It is only when the big man and the little man forget their own particular ‘‘slants’’, bury the idea of being the sole beneficiary or the prime goat, and look the problem of security squarely in the face that America will actually begin its mareh toward the goal of real social security.— Contributed. |