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Show Home Front . Interest Focused on Economic Stabilization I During 1943. interest on the home front was focused on economic sta-i sta-i bilization, as set forth by President I Roosevelt in his "Hold the line" j order of April 7. The President asked no ceilings be ! raised on food except to the minimum mini-mum extent required by law, and he directed the reduction of excess j prices, which was eventually accom-j accom-j dished by the cutting of costs to consumers through subsidies. The President also forbade wage increases in-creases except to improve substandard sub-standard rates or accompany promotions. pro-motions. Leading the fight for higher wages. John L. Lewis and his 400,000 United Unit-ed Mine Workers maneuvered for seven months before finally reaching reach-ing ah agreement with the government govern-ment November 3, allowing a daily wage increase of $1.50, and recognizing recog-nizing the miners' claim to underground under-ground travel time. During the hectic maneuvering, the workers left their pits four times and the government took over the mines twice. Following the second seizure, Lewis negotiated his $1.50 settlement with U. S. Mine Custodian, Custo-dian, Secretary of the Interior Harold Har-old Ickes. |