Show LABOR CRISIS TESTS TRUMAN the fast growing labor crisis presents harry S truman with the first big problem he has faced on a hitherto well charted roosevelt sea up until now most policies especially those dealing with war and peace had been pretty well established by tru tra mans predecessor in settling the current labor turmoil however is completely on his hi own for some time labor advice from white house insiders insider has differed Tr truman labor department has argued that labor troubles after wars were inevitable that both wilson and harding had to caal baft out U S troops after the last war that labor has been in ft a trait strait jacket since pearl harbor Is bound to feel its wild oats now finally that big business was equal aylin a straight jacket and equally willing to row with labor especially if it chuld get labor in in wrong with the public advice to truman dont stick your neck out let both sides battle it out for a while advice came from another wing of the white house while admitting that all the above is true other ad risers urged that both labor and industry needed guidance for four years both labor and industry have had the little steel formula as their guide they were supposed not to go above this now labor finds itself losing its overtime wages with take home pay dropping way below lush war anvar days yet with the cost of living still high therefore truman was urged to step forward and set a national ti policy suggest a wage increase which would partly offset the drop in take home pay it is this group of advisers which truman finally has decided to follow FARMERS VS LABOR UNIONS last week florida citrus growers came to washington worried sick over the future market for grapefruit and oranges they feared a return of the old days when their fruit was dumped into florida rivers the army has just cancelled orders for several million cases of orange juice simultaneously it has turned back on the civilian market several million more surplus cases this bac backlog klog is bound to have a depressing effect on citrus fruit citrus fruit growers know that with wages dropping the civilian demand for oranges and grapefruit will also nose dive when workmen get paid less first thing they quit buying is fruit cattlemen also figure on a drop in prices not only will the army buy less but workmen eat less meat when wages are cut same is true of many other farm commodities including dairy products never before has the average american eaten so well despite rationing as during the war years largely because wages were high seldom before also have farmers been so prosperous seldom before however have farmers been so sore at labor unions they were looking for ward to buying new autos new farm machinery now all this is is delayed by strikes also they were looking forward to the return of cheap labor from cities to farms so far this materialized UNIONS LOSE MONEY big industrial unions naturally dont want any trek back to the farm it means loss of dues the united auto workers dues paying membership has now dropped to about half of that the drop was so severe that the cost of running the union went in the red chiefs are going about their wage protests in an orderly fair minded manner have done their best to stop the kelsey hayes wildcat strike but some union leaders prefer strikes it helps increase their power in the union in schenectady general Elect electrics rids charles E wilson long has advocated higher wages he says it helps him sell electric refrigerators electric irons etc H he has been ready to make upward wage adjustments voluntarily just as wise standard oil of N J increased its pay immedi tely abely and automatically at the end of the war |