Registry No. 1714-9- 14 

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION 

PROPOSED CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION 

FOR THE 

CLEANING AND DYEING 

INDUSTRY 

AS SUBMITTED ON AUGUST 23, 1933 

,. 

TORY 

The Code for the Cleaning and Dyeing Industry 

in its present form merely reflects the proposal of the above-mentioned 

industry, and none of the provisions contained therein are 

to be regarded as having received the approval of 

the National Recovery Administration 

as applying lo this industry 

UNITED STATES 

GOVER MENT PRINTING OFFICE 

W ASHI GTON : 1933 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C. - - • - - - - • Price 5 cents 

V 
SUBMITTED BY 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DYERS AND CLEANERS 

(II) 

.. 
CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION FOR THE CLEANING AND 

DYEING INDUSTRY 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DYERS AND CLEANERS 

To effectuate the policy and broad purposes of Title I of the National Industrial Recovery Act, the following provisions are established as a National Industrial Recovery Code for the Cleaning and 

Dyeing Industry: 

SECTION I-DEFINITIONS 

ARTICLE 1. Cleaning and dyeing industry.-The term cleaning and 

dyeing industry as used herein is defined to include any and all 

cleaning and dyeing establishments. 

ART. 2. Gleaning and dyeing establishment.-The term cleaning 

and dyeing establishment as used herein is defined to include any 

place where any article of wearing apparel, household furnishings, 

rugs, fabrics, furs, and leather of any kind whatsoever, are drycleaned, spotted, wetcleaned, dyed, processed, and/or finished for 

hire, and/or such service is offered for sale or resale. Nothing included herein shall prevent an individual from pursuing the vocation of manual labor. 

ART. 3. Drycleavning.-Drycleaning is the process of cleaning 

wearing apparel, household furnishings, rugs, fabrics, furs, and 

leather of any kind whatsoever, by the immersion · and agitation of 

these articles in volatile solvents, such as those of the petroleum distillate type, the coal-tar distillate type, or the chlorinated hydrocarbon type, and processes incidental thereto, such as spotting, wetcleaning, finishing, etc. Minimum standards will be set by a technical committee appointed as hereinafter specified. 

ART. 4. Spotting.-Spotting is the operation of removing spots or 

stain which may remain in fabrics after any of the above-mentioned 

deaning processes have been applied, except those chemically determined by the technical committee of the National Association of 

Dyer..; and Cleaners as unremovable without injury to the fabric or 

color. 

ART. 5. Finishing.-Finishing is the operation of pressing and/or 

reshaping any article of wearing apparel, household furnishings, 

rug., fabrics, furs, and leather of any kind whatsoever, either by 

hand or by machines through the use of heat, steam, air, or other 

mean , with the shape, dimensions, and contour of the article retored a · nearly as possible to the condition in which the article was 

received. 

ART. 6 .. Cleaning flant.-A cl~aning plant consists of equipment 

for clea1111;g any article of wearing appa_rel, household furnishings, 

rugs, fabric , furs, and leather of any lnncl whatsoever, by immersion and agitation in volatile solvents, such as those of the petroleum 

10224-33 (1) 
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distillate type, coal tar distillate type, or chlorinated hydrocarbon 

type. 

a. R eta.il cleaning plant.-A retail cleaning plant is one which 

sells at least 75 percent of its product or service to the ultimate consumer through sales outlets directly controlled by the plant. · 

b. TVholesale o7eaning plant.-A wholesale cleaning plant is one 

which ells more than 25 percent of its product or service to retailers 

at wholesale prices for re-sale by the retailers to the ultimate consumer under the retailers' own names. 

ART. 7. R etaile,·.-A retailer is any r etail outlet, including trucks 

or stores or both, owned and operated by a plant, and also independent retail tailors and press shops not owned by a plant, which purchase cleaning and/or dyeing service from a plant and di. tribute 

it to the consumer under the retailers own name. 

ART. 8. Route salesman.-A route sale man is any. person employed, either on a salary or commission basis or both, by a cleaning 

and dyeing establishment, to call for, solicit , and deliver its service 

and/or collect for same. 

ART. 9. Solicitor, bobtail, OJ' com,missi011er.- A solicitor, bobtail, 

or commissioner is any person who solicits cleaning, dyeing, or tailoring in any territory, by any means, under any name, who i · not 

regularly employed by any cleaning and dyeing e tablishment. 

ART. 10. TailoJ·.- A tailor is any retailer ,,ho makes clothe to 

order, or repairs, alters, anc1/or presses them, in addition to receiving 

garments for cleaning and dyeing. 

SECTION II-Am,nNISTRATION 

ARTICLE 1. The National As ocia tion of Dyer and Cleaners is 

hereby designated as the agency for administering, supervising, 

promoting, and enforcing the performance of the provisions of this 

Code by the members of the cleaning and dyeing indu try. 

ART. 2. (a) The Board of Directors of the National Association 

of Dyers and Cleaners shall establi h a RecoYery Executive Committee) responsible to the Board of Directors of the National Association and to the National Recovery Administration for the complete and proper administration, supervision, promotion, and enforcement of the proYi ions of this Code. Thi RecoYery ExecutiYe 

Committee shall have authority (1) to define, interpret, and regulate 

unfair trade practices as outlined in Section IV of thi Code; (2) 

to determine the ba ·is for calculating and the form for reporting 

co. ts; (3) to require the submi ion of cost and other . tatistical data 

as provided for in Section V of this Code; ( 4) to apply and enforce 

an:v special regulations which may be imposed upon members of 

the cleaning and dyeing industry by the National Recovery Admini - tration; ( 5) to delegate power to authorize committee of affiliated 

state, sectional, and/ or local as ociations within the industry · ( 6) 

to determine, publish, and enforce fair minimum prices; (7) to prescribe fair ratios between wholesale and retail charges. 

(b) As a protection to the consumer and to assure uniform stan<lards of workmanship, the Board of Directors of the A sociation . hall also appoint a technical committee, composed of one active 

member of the National As ociation of Dyers and Cleaners, one tech-
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n1cian, who may be selected from without the industry, preferably 

from the U.S. Bureau of Standards, and one representative of the 

American Home Economic Association. This committee shall have 

the power, under the Recovery Executive Committee, to prescribe 

minimum standards of quality for cleaning, finishing, an l other 

processing. 

ART. 3. Because of the impossibility of knowino- at this tim~ 

whether or not this Code will meet all situations "vb.ich may arise, 

the National Association of Dyers and Cleaners hereby rese1:ves the 

right to make application through the Recovery Executive Committee 

for such alterations, am.endments, or changes in it as may be advisable 

or necessary. 

ART. 4. This Code or any agreement made thereunder, or any 

license approved, prescribed, or connected therewith, is subject to 

cancellation or modification by the President of the United States in 

accordance )Vith Section lOB of the Act. Subject to the approval 

of the Presiaent, this Code may be amended by a vote of the majority 

of the Recovery Executive Committee. 

ART. 5. The Recovery Executive Committee shall have authority 

to levy necessary fees on all those engaged in the cleaning and dyeing 

industry for administering this Code and for carrying out the intent 

of the Recovery Act. 

ART. 6. Any organization in the textile maintenance field may become an affiliate of the National Association of Dyers and Cleaners 

which desires to cooperate therewith, and bear a proportionate share 

of the costs. 

ART. 7. The effective date of this Code shall be one week after its 

approval by the President. 

SECTION III-LABOR PROVISIONS 

ARTICLE 1. Employees shall have the right to organize and bargain 

collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and shall 

be free from the interference, restraint, intimidation, or coercion of 

any person or persons, or their agents, in the designation of such 

representatives or in self-organization or in other concerted activities 

for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. No employee and no one seeking employment shall be required as a condition of employment to join any company union or 

to refrain from joining, organizing, or assisting a labor organization 

of his own choosing. Employers shall comply with the maximum 

hours of labor, minimum rates of pay, and other conditions of employment, apprcwed or prescribed by the President. 

ART. 2. No per on shall be employed in any cleaning plant or retail 

outlet, who is le than 17 years of age. 

ART. 3. (a) :Minimum wages paid to plant employees in the cleaning an 1 dyeing industry ·hall be 33¢ per hour in cities of over 500,000 

population and their immediate trade areas ( as determined from the 

1930 Federal Censu ·); 30¢ per hour in cities of between 100,000 and 

500,000 population and their immediate trade areas; and 27¢ per 

hour in cities of les than 100,000 population and their immediate 

tra le area ; except in the Southern territory, where minimum wages 

shall be 25¢, 221⁄2¢, and 20¢ per hour, respectively, for the three aforementioned cla ·ses of cities and their immediate trade areas. 
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For purposes of this provision, the Southern territory is defined 

to include the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 

(b) Minimum wages paid to office employees in the cleaning _and 

dyeing industry shall be not less than $14.00 per week in cities of 

.,over 500,000 population and their immediate trade areas; not less 

than $13.50 per week in cities of from 100,000 population to 500,000 

population and their immediate trade areas; not le s than $13.00 per 

week in cities of less than 100,000 population; except that minimum 

wages for office employees shall be $1.00 less per week than the above 

quoted rates in the aforementioned Southern section. 

For purposes of this provision, office employees are defined to include all clerical, accounting, and service employees working in the 

office of any cleaning and dyeing establi hment, and in retail stores 

used as collection and delivery outlets. 

ART. 4. The Recovery Executive Committee may, after gathering 

and tabulating more complete pay-roll statistics from the industry at 

large, and living cost statistics from governmental agencies, prescribe 

minimum percentages of net volume which shall be paid to labor, 

provided that in any case the minimum wage shall not be below the 

amounts prescribed in Article 3 above. 

ART. 5. The maximum average number of working hours per week 

for productive labor and office employees shall be 45, but this can be 

extended to 50 hours per week to take care of seasonal fluctuations in 

volume, provided that sufficient hour-credits have been accumulated 

prior thereto by the employee. This clause requiring prior accumulation of hour-credits shall not become eff ectj ve until December 1, 

1933. 

The maximum average number of working hours per week for 

engineers, firemen, and maintenance employees shall be 51, but this 

can be extended to 56 hours per week, provided that sufficient hourcredits have been accmnulated prior thereto by the employee. This 

clause requiring prior accumulation of hour-credits shall not become 

effective until December 1, 1933. Watchmen are not included in 

this provision. 

ART. 6. All route salesmen, whether on straight salary, salary and 

commission, or straight commission, shall work not more than the 

maximum hours of business prescribed 'for retail outlets. 

ART. 7. Clerks employed in retail stores shall be required to work 

no more than 48 hours per week. 

ART. 8. Employees acting entirely or largely in a supervisory or 

executive capacity and receiving $30.00 per week or more in salary, 

are exempt from the wage and hour provisions of this Code. 

ART. 9. Employees shall not be coerced to purchase stock in the 

employing company. 

ART. 10. Wages shall be paid promptly when due, at reasonable 

and regular intervals. 

SECTION IV-UNFAIR TRADE AND COMPETITIVE PRACTICES 

The following shall be considered unfair trade and competitive 

practices in the cleaning and dyeing industry: 
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ARTICLE 1. Misleading adve1·tising.-The use of, participation in, 

or publishing, or broadcasting any untrue, deceptive, or misleading 

statement, representation or illustration, in an effort to sell cleaning 

or dyeing service. 

ART. 2. Unfair c01npetitive clai11is.-The use of uperlatives in 

advertising, such as to advertise one's cleaning or dyeing service as 

the " best " O"' the " finest." 

ART. 3. Defannation or dispa1·aqe11ient of co1nvetitors.-Falsely 

imputing to competitor di honorable conduct, inability to perform 

contracts, questionable credit . tanding, or false representation concerning the grade or quality of their product. 

ART. 4. Underselling claim,~.-Advertising which lays claim to a 

policy or continuing practice of generally underselling competitors. 

ART. 5. Alisleadin.c; guarantees.-Guarantees when otfered shall be 

specific as to ~.he nature and extent of the guarantee, and shall be 

in writing. 

ART. 6. It shall be mandatory for all those engaged in the cleaning and dyeing industry to carry at all times adequate Bailee Insurance covering fire, theft, explosion, or establish their ability to 

satisfy any claims that may arise from causes covered by such 

Bailee policy. 

ART. 7. Misleading state11ients concerning insurance.-To a~vertise to the effect that garments are insured, when full and adequate 

protection is not provided for the benefit of the customer. 

ART. 8.· Disclaimers.-To attempt to evade proper responsibility 

for articles left for cleaning or dyein~, either by verbal agreement 

or by the use of any printed form or disclaimer other than those 

a pp roved by the courts. 

ART. 9. Misrepresentat-ion of prices.-To represent certain prices 

and terms as "special", when they are in fact regular prices and 

regular terms. Also, to imply that quoted prices apply to c01npletely finished work, when in fact they apply only to partially 

processed work. 

ART. 10. Unfair merchandising devices.-a. Free work, including 

finishing, to anyone except an approved charity. 

b. Coupon books or discount coupons. 

c. Premi urns and lotteries. 

d. Commissions to any person or organization not identified with 

the industry, for soliciting of cleaning or dyeing. 

e. Free storage. 

ART. 11. Added charges.-To offer to clean or dye work at a stated 

price and then later to attempt to secure an additional charge for 

the eradication of certain spots or stains. 

ART. 12. Secret rebates, etc.-The secret payment or allo\\~ance to 

any customer or their employees of rebates, refunds, com1nissions, or 

discounts, whether in the form of money or otherwise, or secretly 

extending to certain purchasers special services or privileges. This 

includes also false invoicing. It further includes secret rebates under the guise of allowance for lost, n1isplaced, or damaged articles. 

ART. 13. Interference with c01npetiton ' employees.-To entice 

away employees of competitors with the purpose and effect of hampering, injuring, or embarrassing them. Further, to incite, aid, or 

abet, directly or indirectly, singly or together with others, anything 
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unlawful in connection with any strike, ,dispute or labor trouble bet ween any competitor and his einployees. 

ART. 14. Unsanitary conditions.-To house and/ or board employees within a cleaning plant and/ or retail outlet. Further, to 

fail to comply with all federal, state, or local laws or regulation 

governing sanitary and working conditions in cleaning and dyeing 

establishments and/ or retail outlets and to f.ail to proYide such necessities as will protect the efficiency and the comfort of workers. 

ART. 15. Unfair ternis.-To accept cleaning and/ or dyeing except 

on a cash basis from any customer whose credit standing is known to 

be poor with the intent and/ or effect of preventing or hindering 

collection of outstanding accounts. Further, to extend a longer term 

of credit to any cust01ner than recom111ended by the local committee 

based upon its credit investigations. 

ART. 16. Unduly long howrs.-N o plant, branch office, or any other 

outlet m.ay be open for business n1ore than 12 hours on any week day 

(Saturdays, 16 hour ) , or at any time whatsoever on Sundays and 

legal holidays. The time for opening and closing such outlets shall 

be regulated by local committees. 

ART. 17. Imitation of com,petitors.-To simulate or copy a style of 

store front and sign or advertising of a competitor with the intention of deceiving customers of said comipe.titor. 

ART. 18. To do work for a solicitor, bobtail, or commissioner as 

defined in Section I, Article 9. 

ART. 19. I dent-ification of soles outlets.-Each retail-sales outlet 

shall be required to post in a conspicuous place the name and address 

of the owner or operator of the outlet. 

ART. 20. Dwmping.-No cleaning plant or outlet shall sell cleaning and/or dyeing service in any trade area at a price less than the 

established price in said area. 

ART. 21. Selling below cost.-

SECTION V-REPORTS .AND STATISTICS 

ARTICLE 1. The National Association, through its Recovery Executive Committee, shall have authority to require any cleaning plant 

or outlet to submit reports of costs and production at any time, 

covering any period, in order to insure against violations of the 

provision of this Code regarding the selling of product below cost 

or for the purpo e of furnishing desired information to the N ationai 

Recovery Administration. Among other things, these reports may 

include data on: 

a. ,vages. 

b. Hours of labor. 

c. Rates of Pay. 

d. Costs and prices. 

e. Dollar-volume of sales. 

f. Productive capacity. 

ART. 2. The National Association of Dyers and Cleaners, through 

its Recovery Executive Committee, shall have authority to prescribe 

general plans and methods to be followed by cleaning plants for 

keeping records of and preparing reports on costs and other financial 

data. 
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ART. 3. The National Association of Dyers and Cleaners through 

its Recovery Executive Committee, shall ha, e authority to determine 

and prescribe all the elements which shall be taken into con ·ideration 

in determining what constitutes cost in any trade area. 

ART. 4. For the term of the National Indu trial Recovery Act 

the National A sociation of Dyers and Cleaner through it }{ covery Executive Committee, shall have authority to lecide the need 

for additional production capacity and additional retail outlet . 

SECTION VI-ARBITRATION 

The Recovery Executive Comrn.ittee shall arbitrate all di. putes between wholesalers, retailer , and retail outlets, which cannot be settled 

locally, and the deci ion of the Committee shall be binding, ·ubject 

to the National Recovery Administration. · 

The Executive Committee of the National Association of Dyers 

and Cleaners shall appoint a Board of Arbitration in each trading 

area £or the final settlement of all unsettled claims arising from the 

consumers the cleaning and dyeing industry, or the retail merchants 

in the trading area. The Boai;d of Arbitration shall be compo ed 

of two retail merchants, two members of cleaning and dyeing industry, and one representative of the Better Business Bureau, Chamber 

of Commerce, or ome similar consumer organization. 

SECTION VII-MONOPOLY 

No provision in this Code shall be interpreted or applied in such a 

manner as to promote monopolies, permit or increase unfair competition, or to discriminate against small enterprises. 

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