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THE CLINTON CHRONICLE Thursdoy, February 7, 1946- Clinton For the Week . .. South Clinton News BENJAMIN & SONS HEATING OWINGS Radio Service Be Quick To Treat eBSSaaSg— Bsieifsrsa' , smais tsSSKffirsS TOO FAT? More Headaches for the Farmer Once more the farmer is being asked to break all food production records. To plow more acres, feed more livestock and harvest more crops than ever be fore. He is being asked to do this so that America mdy'continue to feed and clothe the needy through out the world, as well as our own folks at home. To carry out this job the farmer must hove tools of production. Most of those he owns have taken a terrific beating. They can't be tied together much longer with rusty fence wire. In the teeth of this situation, the former ran into a strike in the steel industry — a strike which hit at the heart of food production. When the steel plants-shut down, manufacturers of farm machinery and equipment, farm trucks and tractors cannot get steel for their products. This year the farmer won't receive as many of the replacements he desperately needs. He'll fight ahead with his old, broken machinery trying to crack another food production record, but the cards are stacked against him. All this means more headaches for the farmer — loss of vital food production, and a bad dent in his pocketbook. Facts Too Frequently Omitted The steel strike was called by the United Steel workers of America — CIO, which insists on a wage increase totaling $166,000,000. The U. S. Steel Cor poration has offered a wage rise which if applied throughout the industry would amount to $135,000,- . 000. Steel workers ore already among'the highest paid wage-earners in America. Before the strike their aver age comings were approximately $1,16 on hour, $926 a day and $46.32 a week — on a forty-hour week. The U. S. Steel offer would hove given them about $1.31 on hour, $10.46 a day and $52.32 a week. But they refused it, and accused the steel industry of conspiring to ruin the union With on offered wage increase of $25 a month, the highest increase in the industry's history. The strike is a direct violation of the contract be tween the union and the steel companies. The union wanted a long-term contract and got it. The union agreed not to strike during the life of the contract. Yet the union struck on January 21. Fighting for a Way of Life Farmers have a big stake in continuous steel pro duction. They have an opportunity to say what they think about unchecked labor monopolies which bring to a stop the nation's recovery efforts, through exces sive wage demands which could only add to inflation and cause soaring prices. Not until enough of them protest unfair, dictato rial actions and urge^>rop^r safeguards against arro gant, heedless union leadership and one-Sided labor laws will the country get back to sane, profitable pro duction where everyone works together toward a bet ter standard of living. American Iron and Steel Institute 350 Fifth Avenue, New York Y. 95 PER CENT OF THE WORKERS IN THE STEEL INDUSTRY ARE EMPLOYED BY OUR COMPANY MEMBERS GET THE FACTS —Sane postcard for copies of recent interviews with steel industry leaders.