Approved Code No. 281 Registry No. 1735-2-10 

NATIONAL RECOVER~ ADMINISTRATION 

' 

CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION 

FOR THE 

AS APPROVED ON FEBRUARY 16, l~34 

BY 

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT 

WE DO OUR PAJtr 

1 ~ .. , • 0--- -----

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UNITED STATES 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON : 1934 

For sale by the Supe ·intendent or Documents, Washington, D.C. - - - - - - - - Price 5 cents 

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Approved Code No. 281 

CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION 

FOR THE 

LAUNDRY TRADE 

As Approved on February 16, 1934 

BY 

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT 

EXECUTIVE ORDER 

CooE OF FAIR Col\IPETITION FOR THE LA NDRY TRADE 

An application having been duly made pursuant to and in full 

compliance with the provisions of Title I of the .1 T ational Industrial 

Recovery Act, approYed June 16, 1933, for my approval of a Code 

of Fair Competition for the Laundry Trade, and hearings having 

been held thereon and the Administrator having rendered his report 

containing an analysis of the. said Code of Fair Competition together with hi recommendations and findings with respect thereto, 

and the Administrator having found that the said Gode of Fair 

Competition complies in all respect · with the pertinent provisions of 

Title I of said Act and that the requirements of clauses (1) and (2) 

of subsection (a) of Section 3 of the said Act have been met: 

NO"T THEREFORE, I , Franklin D. Roo evelt President of the 

United States, pur uant to the authority Yested in me by Title I 

of the National Industrial Recovery Act, approYed June 16, 1938, 

a.nd otherwise, do adopt and approve the report, recommendations 

and findings of the Administrator and do order that the said Code 

of Fair Competition be and is hereby approved for a period of 90 

days, within which period the adequacy of the minimum "ages 

established in this Code shall be criYen further study by the Administrator, who shall submit his report and recommendation to me for 

my further order. 

Provided, howeYer, that this Code other than a hall be nece ary 

to facilitate the accomplishment of the following requirement , hall 

not become effective a to any given trade area· in the United States 

unless and until the following requirement hall lrnYe been fulfilled 

for each such trade area: 

(1) The Code Authority . hall haye de ignated the boundarie of 

such trade area a provided in Article VI, ection 6 ( c) of the 

Code and the Administrator c::hall have approyed the same; 

40 78°-3,G--7 -34 (--! 7) 
48 

(2) The Code Authority ·hall haY e tabli heel a Code Control 

Board for such trade area a · proYided in Article VI, Section G ( d) 

of the Code; 

(3) The Code Control Bo:ird for uch trade urea shall ha Ye caused 

to be determined the uniform service names for laundry services, 

definitions of said erYice ·, a uniform method of billing said services, 

and the fair and reasonable minimum wholesale and retail priees 

for the several services for such trade area; and shall have secured 

the approYal of the Administrator thereto, a provided in Article 

VI, Section 6 (i) and (j) of the Code. 

( 4) The Code Control Board shall have obtained signature· to a 

petition in such trade area from not less than seYenty per cent 

(70%), determined according to the method of voting prescribed for 

the election of the Board of Directors of the Laundry-o,, ner;:; National As ociation, of the members of the trade within such trade 

area, in which petition there is a showing that there exists within 

such trade area an emergency producti've of widespread unemployment and disorganization of the Laundry Trade. 

(5) The Administrator hall haYe approYed such petition or a 

petition containing a less percentage of signatures than hereinabove 

provided in the discretion of the Administrator. The Code shall 

become fully effectiYe in such trade area upon such approval. 

Prior to the full effectiveness of the Code in any given trade area 

any meinber of the trade within such trade area who has signed 

such petition, and who certifies that he is complying with the requirements of said. Code, including approved prices for said trade area, 

shall be entitled while so employing to make full use of appropriate 

National Reem ery Administration insignia. 

Approval recommended: 

HUGHS. JOHNSON, 

Acbniri.isfrator. 

THE ,vHrTE HousE, 

February 16, 1934. 

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. 
LETTER OF TRANS:MITTAL 

The PRESIDENT 

The White House. 

Srn: I have the honor to submit and recommend for your approval 

the Code of Fair Competition for the Laundry Trade. This Code 

was proposed by the Laundryowners National Association, which 

represents approximately 82% of power laundries of the trade. 

The Public Hearing was conducted in Washington on ovember 

20 and 21, 1933, and every person who filed a request for appearance 

in accordance with stautory and regulatory requirements was fully 

heard. 

CONDITIONS IN THE I -ffCSTRY 

Due to excessive plant facilities, lack of adequate reserve and to 

an unusual competitiYe position, this trade has suffered severely 

during the past three years. In many sections vicious price wars 

have been initiated in an attempt to bolster falling ,olume. The 

competitive position of the Laundry Trade is extremely unfortunate. 

An increase in price meets immediate ales resistance and the erstwhile consumer frequently becomes a cc;nnpetitor. The services of 

laundresses can be procured by the housewife at extremely low 

nominal rates, especially in the South. Laundry work in the home 

has been made a far less unpleasant chore in recent years due to the 

introduction of the washing ma chine and it is pertinent to ob er-ve 

in this connection that more electric washing machines were sold 

during the first 9 months or the current year than during all of 1929. 

As a result of these conditions the Laundry Trade during the first 

6 months of 1933 was contending against severe handicaps. Volume 

had fallen to 56% of the le-vel prevailing during 1929 and in not one 

of the 48 states did the Laundry Trade as a whole show an operating 

profit during the first half of this year. · Since July, instead of the impro,ement characterizing other industries the Laundry Trade has suffered a further decline. This may 

be explained in part by its position as a sen ice industry and by the 

fact that the trend in such industries lags distinctly behind the trend 

in manufacturing industries. No immediate improvement in the 

Laundry Trade can, therefore, be expected as a result of general 

business recovery. Such improvement may be expected to be delayed 

for many months. 

Two problems received paramount con ideration in the drafting 

of this Code. The first was the necessity for stabilizing the price 

structure in such form as to prevent the recurrence of vicious price 

cuttino-. The second "\\as the development of a formul a for the gradual re-adjustment of the extremely low wage scale prevailing in this 

trade to levels commensurate with those prevailing in other branches 

of indu try without imposing intolerable burden upon a large ec- tion of the trade throughout the country. 

(489) 
490 

LABOR PROVISIONS 

l\iaximum hours are established according to classes of employees, 

consisting of 40 hours for plant cmploye-es and 48 hours for firemen, 

engineer and/or maintenance employees. These hours represent a 

substantial reduction in those preYailing prior to the inauguration 

of the Recovery program and, in addition, impose requirements more 

rigid than those specified under the sub titution to the President's 

Reemployment Agreement, under ·which the Trad0 is at present 

operating. 

l\1inimum -n,·ages are established for plant employee.· ranging from 

30¢ in cities having a population great€r than 600,000 in the northeast and far west to 14¢ in Alabama, ·Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, 

Louisiana, I\'Iissi sip pi, the trade area of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 

North Carolina, South Carolina Tennessee, the portion of Texas east 

of the counties of Chambers Harris \Valler, Grimes, l\iadi on, Leon, 

Freestone, Navarra, Ellis, I(aufman, Hunt and Fennin, the trade 

areas of El Paso and San Antonio, Texas, and the portion of Virginia not included in Group D. These last rates ure applicable to 

establishments employing less than 97c of the laundry ii·orkers of the 

country. 

It is not contended that the 14¢ rate represents a satisfactory 

le,el. Its npplicati.on has, howe,er, resulted in an increase in 

operating payroll of 46% in plant affected. Inasmuch as practically all the laundries in this section were operating at losses even 

prior to these pay-roll increases, it was not felt that any higher 

rate was at present economically feasible. It is, however, believed 

that the effects of a general up-turn in business combined with the 

application of the provisions regulating trade practic0 s in this Code 

may so improve the position of the southern laundries as to enable 

them to pay rates more nearly commen ·urate with those which have 

been approved for other industries. 

l\1IXI1\'1Ul\I PRitE PROVISION 

In my letter to you transmitting the Code of Fair Competition 

for the Cleaning and Dyeing Trade, the considerations making 

essential the adopting of price control for that trade were analyzed. 

Similar conditions exist in the Laundry Trade and it was felt advisable to reconimend the adoption of a sin1ilar method of price 

stabilization. This Code provides safeguards for the consumer and 

:for the trade in that no rates may be established prior to public 

hearings to be held in the localities affected and all such rates are 

subject to the approval of the Administrator. It is not felt that 

this provision will work any undue hard.ship on the consumer owing 

to the fact that the competitive position of the Trade makes unwarranted price increases impossible and it appears that the adoption of this provision affords the only method of insuring fair 

competition. 

TR.ADE PRACTICES 

Certain practices now current in this trade have the effect of causing an unfair competitive advantage in favor of small groups. The 
491 

trade has ought to eradicate such practices by making them violations of this Code. 

ADl\IINISTRATION 

The provisions for administration of this Code are capable of providing the National Recovery Administration and the Laundry 

Trade "ith sufficient data to make recommendations for the limitation of certain provisions of the Code as herewith presented and/ or 

the addition of further provisions to this Code which would be 

Leneficial to the trade as a whole. 

GENERAL 

Recognizing the great necessity for flexibility in the operation 

of service codes, it has been provided in the Executive Order that 

this Code shall not become effective as to any given trade area until 

the following requirements shall have been fulfilled for each such 

trade area: 

(1) The Code Authority. subj ect to the approval of the Administrator, shall have designated the boundaries of such trade area; 

(2) The Code Authority shall have established a Code Control 

Board for such trade area; 

(3) The Code Control Board, subject to the approval of the Administrator, shall have caused to be determined fair and reasonable 

minimum wholesale and retail prices for such trade area ; 

( 4) The Code Control Board shall have obtained signatures to a 

petition in such trade area from not less than seventy percent of 

the members of the trade within such trade area ; 

(5) The Administrator, in his discretion, shall have approved 

such petitions, or a petition, containing a less percentage of signatures than hereinabove provided. 

Prior to the full effectiveness of the Code any n1.ember of the 

trade who has signed such petition and who certifies that he is 

complying with the requirements of the Code shall be entitled to 

full u ·e of appropriate National Recovery Administration insignia. 

FINDINGS 

I find that: 

The Code complies in all respects with the pertinent provisions of 

Title I of the National Industrial Recovery Act, including, without 

limitation, sub ection (a) of Section 7, and subsection (b) of Section 10 thereof. 

The Laundrymvners National Association is truly r epresentative 

of the Laundry Trade, and the by-laws of this association provide 

no inequitable restrictions to membership. 

The Code is not designed to promote monopolies or to eliminate 

or oppress small enterprises and will not operate to discriminate 

against them, and will tend to effectuate the policy of Title I of the 

National Industrial Recovery Act. 

Accordingly, I hereby recommend the approval of the Code of 

Fair Competition :for the Laundry Trade. 

Respectful] y, 

FEBRU.-.\RY 15, 1934. 

HUGH S. JOHNSON 

Aclmdnist1·at or. 
CODE OF FAIR CO:\fPETITION FOR THE LAUNDRY 

TRADE 

ARTICLE I-PURPO E 

To effectuate the policies of Title I of the National Industrial 

Reco-very Act, the following pro-visions are established as a Code of 

Fair Competition for the Laundry Trade and shall be the standard 

of fair competition for this trade and shall be binding upon every 

member thereof. 

ARTICLE II-DEFIXITIO:NS 

1. The term " laundry trade ' as used herein includes (a) the wa ·hing and/ or ironing, and/ or processing incidental thereto for compensation of any article of clothing, napery, blanket. bed clothing, or 

fabric of any kind whatsoever; (b) the collection, distribution, sale, 

and/ or resale for compensation at retail or wholesale of laundry service, and (c) any subdi,ision which may from time to time be included 

herein. For the purpose of assisting the Administrator in the admini tration of the Act, the Laundry Industry is classified as a trade. 

2. The term " laundry establishment" as used herein includes any 

place or "'."ehicle in which anyone engages in any phase of the laundry 

trade. 

3. The term " retail outlet " as used herein includes any laundry 

establi hment -n·here laundry service is sold, or offered for sale, directly to the con mner; the term "retailer" means any member of 

the laundry trade by or for -n·hom a retail outlet is operated. 

4. The term " member of the laundry trade " or " member of th-2 

trade" as used herein includes anyone engaged in any phase of the 

laundry trade either as an employer or on his own behalf, except 

washerwomen engaged solely on their own behalf. 

5. The term" employee" as used herein includes anyone engaged in 

the laundry trade in any capacity, receiving compensation for his 

ser-vice , irrespective of the method of payment of such compensation. 

(a) The term "clerk" as used herein includes any employee working in the office of a laundry establishment who is engaged in work 

of a clerical, accounting, sales, or service character. 

(b) The term "route salesmen" as used herein includes anyone 

employed by a member of the laundry trade on a commission or 

salary and commission basis to solicit the sale of laundry service of 

such member, to call for articles to be laundered, to deliYer such 

articles, and to collect payment for the laundering thereof. 

(c) The term "deliverymen" as used herein includes anyone 

whose sole function is to deliYer and/or to collect articles to be 

laundered and/ or to collect payment for the laundering thereof. 

( d) ~he term "executi-ve" as used herein includes any employee 

responsible for the management of a laundry establishment or of a 

recognized subdiYision thereof. 

(492) 
493 

( e) The term "watchman " as used ·herein includes any employee 

engaged pri111arily in safeguarding the premic:es and property of a 

laundry establishme1it. 

6. The term" employer 'as used herein includes anyone by whom 

uch employee_ i compensated or employed. 

7. Popul~tion, for the purposes of this Code, shall be determined 

by reference to the Fifteenth Census of the United States (U.S. Department 9f Commer~e, Bureau of Census, 1930). 

8. T~rn terms "President", "Act", and "Administrator" as u. eel 

herein mean, respectively, the President of the United State ', the 

National Industrial Recovery Act, and the Administrator for Industrial Re"OYery. 

9. The term "N"ational Association" as used herein means the 

Laundryowners National Association of the United States and 

Canada, Inc. 

10. The term "Authorized A sociation" as used herein means and 

includes any Regional, State, or Local As ociation designated as an 

Authorized Association by the National Association. 

11. The term "trade area" as used herein means any area designated as a trade area by the Code Authority and approved by the 

Administrator. Trade areas may be filed without regard for city, 

county, sectional, or State lines.1 

12. The term "Code Authority" as used herein means the national 

administrative agency of the laundry trade as establi heel in Article 

VI of the Code. 

ARTICLE III-I-IouRs 

1. Except as hereinafter expressly stipulated otherwise. 

(a) No engineer, fireman, or maintenance employee shall be per:-

mitte<l to work in excess of forty-eight ( 48) hours in any one week. 

(b) No clerk employed in any retail outlet shall be permitted to 

work in exce s of forty-eight ( 48) hours in any one week. 

( c) No deliveryman in cities of a population of 25,000 or more 

and their immediate trading areas shall be permitted to work in 

excess of forty-eight (48) hours in any one week. No deliveryman 

in citi~s. or towns of less than a population of 25,000 and their immediate trading areas be permitted to woi;-k more than six (6) hours 

per week in excess of forty-eight ( 48) hours. 

( d) No other employee shall be permitted to work in excess of 

forty ( 40) hours in any one week. 

2. The maximum hour · fixed in the foregoing section hall not 

apply to: 

(a) Executives receiYing regularly a salary of $30 or more per 

Yreek, included employers. 

(b) Employees on emergency · rnaintenance, or emergency repair 

work invoh-ing breakdowns, or protection of life or of property, but 

in any such special case at least 11;13 times the normal rate shall be 

paid for hours ·worked in excess of the maximum hours herein 

provided. 

( c) "\Vatchmen. 

(cl) Route- alesmen. 

1 Sec para 0Taph ~ of order approving this Code. 

4087 °-376-78-04-2 
494 

3. (a) Due to fluctuations in the demand in this trade, the maximum hours fixed in paragraph (a,) and (d) of section 1 of this 

Article shall not apply during six (6) weeks in any thirteen (13) 

week period. During any week in which such maximum hours do 

not apply no employee covered in said paragraph (a) shall be permitted to work in exce s of fifty-four (54) hours in any one week, 

and no employee covered in said paragraph ( d) shall be permitted to 

-work in excess of forty-six ( 46) hours in any one week, provided, 

howeYer, that no employee shall work more than thirty (30) hours 

in excess of those specified in paragraphs (a) and (d) of Section 1 

of this Article during any thirteen ( 13) w€ek period. 

(b) In any trade area where, due to seasonal peak demands, a 

sufficient number of employees qualified for the work is not available, 

the Code Control Board having jurisdiction over such trade area 

may submit to the Code Authority for approval, subject to review by 

the Administrator, exception to the maximum hours specified in 

Section 1 of this Article. 

4. Upon the formation of a Code Control Board in any trade area: 

(a) No 1nember of the trade shall be open for the production of 

laundry service between the hour of 10 P.1\1. and 6 A.M. or on 

Sunday. 

5. No member of the trade shall receive work from or deliYer 

work to customers between the hours of 8 P.M. and 5 A.M. or on 

Sunday. 

6. The Code Control Board having jurisdiction over any trade 

area may, subject to the approval of the Adrn.inistrator, make exceptions to the hours of operation fixed in Section 4 and 5 of this Article to allow for unavoidable peak periods, emergencies, or conditions 

peculiar to such trade area, provided, ho,veYer, that any member of 

the trade who is refused an exception by the Code Control Board 

having jurisdiction may file a request for review by the Administrator of the refusal of the Code Control Boa.rd within ten clays after 

such refusal and shall be given a stay of section 4 of this Article for 

30 days or until his request is reviewed and approved or disapproved 

by the Administrator. 

7. No employe€ shall be permitted to work more than six ( 6) days 

in any seven (7) day period_. 

8. Notwithstanding the exemptions from maximum hours, provided by section 2 (a) of this Article, such exemptions shall not, in 

any case, apply to n10re than one worker to every ten ,Yorkers or 

fraction thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the word 

"worker ' . hall be deemed to include employees, employers, owners, 

managers, and persons not receiving monetary wages, ,Then such 

persons are actually engaged in any work other than of managerial 

or supervisory character. The word "worker" shall not include, 

however, tho e covered by paragraphs (b), ( c), and (cl) of Sectiou 

2 of this Article. 

ARTICLE IV-\V AGES 

1. No office employee · ·hall be paid at le s than the rate of: 

Zone 1-In cities of more than 500,000 population an l their immediat~ trading areas : 

Northern Area $14.00 per ,Yeek. 

Southern Area $13.00 per 11eek. 
495 

Zone 2-In cities of 100 000 to 500,000 population and their immediate trading areas : 

Northern Area $13.50 per week. 

Southern Area $12.50 per week. 

Zone 3-In cities of less than 100)000 population not coYered aboYe, 

and their immediate trading area. : 

Northern Area. $13.00 per "eek. 

Southern Area $12.00 per week. 

For the purpo e of this Section the "Southern Area" shall in .. elude the following states: Virginia ,,Test Virginia. North Carolina, Kentucky, :Maryland, Oklahoma Texas, Florida , South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Mi. ·sis ippi, Alabama, Tenne~see, and Arkansas; the term "Northern Area " shall include all of the territory 

of the continental United State. except that portion included under 

the tenn" Southern Area.'' 

2. (a) No other employee shall be paid at le~s than the rate per 

hour specified in Schedule A: 

, CHED-CLE A 

In cities of n1ore than 600,000 population and their immediate 

trading areas: 

Group A-$0.30. 

Group B-$0.25. 

Group C-$0.221⁄2. 

Group D-$0.20. 

Group E-$0.14. 

In cities of 100,000 to 600 000 population and their immediate 

trading areas: 

Group A-$0.271⁄2. 

Group B-$0.25. 

Group C-$0.221⁄2. 

Group D-$0.20. 

Group E-$0.14. 

In cities of less than 100,000 population not covered aboYe, and 

their immediate trading areas: 

Group A-$0.25. 

Group B-$0.22·1⁄2. 

Group C-$0.20. 

Group D-$0.18. 

Group E-$0.14. 

These minimum rates of pay ·hall apply only to common labor or 

other totally unskilled labor. 

For the purpose of this Schedule, Group A shall include the following states and portion of states: California, Connecticut, Maine, 

Massachusetts, l\1ontana, Nevada, New Hampshire, the portion of 

.Jew Jersey north of the counties of Mercer, Burlington, and Ocean, 

.i.. ew York, the portion of Oregon west of the counties of "\Vasco, 

Jefferson, Deschutes, and Klamath, Rhode Island, Vermont, the 

portion of \Vashington west of the countie · of Okanogan, Chelan, 

Kittitas, Yakima and IGic kitat, and "\Vyoming. 

Group B shall include the following state and portions of .-tates : 

Arizona Colorado, . Di -trict of Columbia, Idaho, the portion of 
496 

Illinoi north of the countie · of J\Iadi on Bond Fayette, Effin ·ham, 

J a per and C'nn,ford, the portion of Indiana north of tl e counties 

of ulliYan, Greene, Lawrence, Jack on, cott. Jeffer~on an l "·itzerlanc.1, Iowa :\Iichigan, .r bnnc-:::ota ebra ka, the portion of ,.. ew 

J er. ey not inclnclecl in Group \. ~ orth Dakota Ohio, the portion 

of Oregon not included in Group A Penn ylYania outh Dakota 

Utah, the portion of \Ya hington not inclu :le l in Group , and 

,Yi con in. 

Group C hall includ the folloiVing tates and portion of tate : 

Delaware the portion of Illinoi not inclndecl in <...-=rronp B, the portion of Indiana not included in Group B ICan a , 1\Iaryland: and 

the portion of fi ouri north of the countie~ of J a per, Lawrence, 

Greene ,, ebster, \Yright Te:s:as Shannon, Reynold.- \Vayne, 

Stoddard and cott. 

Group D hall include the followino- tate · and portion of tates: 

ICentucky, the portion of :Mi souri not included in Group C: the 

portion of New l\1e:s:ico not included in Group E, Oklahoma, the portion of Texa not included in Group E, the portion of , irginia north 

of the counties of Craig Botetourt, Bedford, Amherst, Nelson, lbemarle. Loui a, Hanover. Caroline, E ex and \Vestm reland. ancl 

We t Virginia. 

Group E shall include the follo-n'"ing tates and portion of tate : 

Alabama, Arkansa , Florida, Georgia Loni. ianu l\Ii is ippi, the 

trade area of Albuquerque New :Mexico North Carolina, 'outli Carolina, Tennec: ee, the portion of Texas ea t of the countie~ of Chamber Harri \Valler Grimes, l\1adi on Leon, Freestone, Navarra, 

Ellis, Kaufman, Hunt and Fannin, the trade areas of El Pa o and 

San Antonio, Tex.a. , and the portion of Virginia not included in 

Group D. 

\i\There a trade area fall partly in one group and partly in another, 

the Code Authority shall h::tY the po-n'"er, ubject to review by the 

Administrator, to authorize deviations from the bounuary line 

between the two group · a above defined. 

2. (b) The following m~nimum rate shall be e ·tablished for the 

following state · and portion of tates until July 1 1934, or uch 

time thereafter a the Aclmini trator after due notic and hearing, 

shall approve new rn.inimum rate~: 

In Michigan, the portion of Indiana include l in Group B. an l the 

portion of Penn yl-vania south and west of the countie of l\Iercer 

Venango, Clarion, Jefferson, Clearfield Centre. Huntingdon, Perry, 

Cumberland and York-ten percent ( 10 c ) le than the rates 

pecified in Schedule A. 

2. ( c) Should the rates ·pecified in this Section of Articl 1, ca u e 

an intolerable hard hip on member of the trade in any trade area 

the Code Control Boar l ha vino· juri diction, ubject to review by 

the Admini trator, may allow a reduction not to e.xceed 10% from 

uch rates; such reduction · to be effective for a period not to exceed 

three months; and in any case to expire on or before July 1, 1934. 

3. Section 1 and 2 of thi rticle e tabli ·h a minimum rate of pay 

in any pay period, regardless of whether an employee is compenated on a time rat!.', piecework. commi . ion, or other baj . 

4. There . hall be an equitable aclju tment of all wage · aboY minimum, and to that end by July 1, 1934 the Code Authority hull 
497 

submit for the approval of the Administrator a proposal for adjustment in -wages above the minimum. Upon aproval by the Administrator after such hearing as h may prescribe, uch proposal hall 

become binding as a part of thi Code, provi le 1, however, that in no 

event shall hourly rates of pay be reduced. 

5. Female employees performing ub tantially the same work as 

male employees shall receiye the same rate of pay as male employees. 

6. o deduction from wages shall be made or permitted for the 

housing an 1/or boarding of any employee within a laundry e tabIi ·lunent: or for the laundering of worker' uniforms soiled while 

on cluty. 2 

\nTICLE V-GENERAL LABOn PRon IONS 

1. No person under seventeen (17) years of age shall be employed 

in the laundry trade. In any tate an employer hall be deemed 

to haYe complied with this provision if he hall have on file a certificate or permit duly issued by the authority in such State empowered to issue employment or age certificate or permiL, ·hawing 

that the employee is of the required age. 

2. In complian e with Section 7 (a) of the Act, it is provided: 

(a) Employee hall have the right to organize and bargain collecfrvely through representatives of their own choosing, and shall 

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

of labor, or their agents, in the designation of such representatives 

or in self-organization or in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargai11ing or other mutual aid or protection. 

(b) No employees and no one seeking employment shall be required a a condition of employment to join any company union or 

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

of hi choo ing. 

(c) Employer · hall comply with the maximum hour-· of labor, 

minimum rate of pay, an 1 other conditions of en1.ployment approved 

or prescribed by the President. 

3. To provision in this Code shall supersede any State or Fe leral 

law which impo. es on employers more tringent requirements a to 

age of employees, wage· hours of work. or a · to safety, health ·anitary or general working condition · or in urancc or fire protection, 

t.han are impo eel by thi code. -!. "\,Vhere a State law or order promulgated thereunder proYicle a 

higher minimum wage than i provided in this code, no per on employed within that State hall be paid a wag0 below that required by 

such State law or orders. "\,Vhere such State law or order affect only 

females and/ or male minors, th minimum rates pecifiecl for such 

employee · shall apply under this code to all employee , whether 

male or :female o that such minimum rates hall apply equally to 

employee · of both sexe . 

5. No employer hall recla ify employees or duties of occupations 

per:forme 1 or engage in any other ubterfuge for the purpose of 

defeating the purposes or provi ions of the A t or of this code. 

6. E-i;ery employer shall make rea onable provi ions for the safety 

and health of hi · employees at the place and durino· the hours of 

~ See parngrapb 2 of order appro,ing this Code. 
498 

their employme~t. Standards for safety and health shall be submitted by the Code Authority to the Administrator within six (6) 

months after the effective date of this Code. 

7. Every member of the trade shall display a placard adjacent to 

the time clock, or employees' entrance and at three (3) other prominent lo~ations in his place of business, stating the minimum wages 

and the maximnm hours of labor which govern the operations of said 

member. 

ARTICLE VI-ORGANIZATION, PowERS AND DuTrns OF THE CooE 

AUTHORITY 

ORGANIZATION 

1. A Code Authority is hereby constituted to Administer this 

Code. 

2. (a) The Code Authority shall consist of from sixteen ( 16) to 

twenty-one (21) members of the trade: or such other numb 0 r as 

may be approved from time to time by the Administrator, to be 

, elected as hereinafter provided. The Administrator, in his discretion, may appoint not more than three (3) additional members 

without vote to represent such groups or governmental agencies as 

he may designate and to serve without expense to the laundry trade. 

(b) The members of the Code Authority representing the trade 

shall consist of sixteen (16) individuals who shall be members of 

the Board of Directors of the National Association repre en ting the 

geographical districts of said association in the United States; and, 

at the discretion of the Administrator, of not more than five ( 5) 

members of the trade who are not members of the National Association to be appointed by the Administrator or selected in a manner 

prescribed by him. 

(c) In order that a Code Authority shall at all times be truly 

representative o:f the trade and in other respects comply with the 

provisions of the Act, the Administrator may provide such hearings 

as he may deem proper; and thereafter if he shall find that the 

Code Authority is not truly representative or does not in other 

respects comply with the provisions of the Act, may require an 

appropriate modification in the method of selection of the Code 

Authority. 

3. Each trade association directly or indirectly participating in 

the selection or activities of the Code Authority or Code Control 

Boards shall (a) impose no inequitable restrictions on membership, and (b) submit to the Administrator true copies of its articles 

of association, by-laws, regulations, and any amendments when made 

thereto, together with such other information as to membership, 

organization, and activities as the Administrator may deem necessary to effectuate the purposes of the Act. 

4. Any 1nember of the trade shall be entitled to make use o:f the 

insignia approved by the Administrator for the Laundry trade, and 

to participate in and share the benefits of the activities o:f the Code 

Authority and the Code Control Board having jurisdiction over his 

trade area by assenting to and complying with the requirements of 

this Code, and by either becon1ing a member of the National Asso-
499 

ciation and the Authorized Association serYing his trade area or 

paying hi · reasonable share of the expenses of the creation and 

admini tration of this Code. Such reasonable share shall be determined by the Code Authority, subject to the right of review by the 

Administrator, on the basis of Yolume of bu iness and such other 

factor.· as may be deemed equitable. 

5. Nothing contained in this Code shall constitute the members of 

the Code Authority or of any Code Control Board partners for any 

purpose. Nor shall any member of the Code Authority or of any 

Code Control Board be liable in any manner to anyone for any act of 

any other member officer, agent, or employee of the Code Authority 

or Code Control Board. Nor shall any member of the Code Authority or of any Code Control Board exercising reasonable diligence 

in the conduct of his duties hereunder, be liable to anyone for any 

act or omission to act under this Code, except for his own willful 

misfea ance or nonfeasance. 

6. The Code Authority shall have the following powers and duties 

to the extent permitted by the Act: 

(a) To in ure the execution of the proYisions of this Co le and 

proYicle for the compliance of the trade with the provision of the 

Act. 

(b) To adopt by-laws and rules and regulations for its procedure 

and for the administration and enforcement of this Code, in accordance with the powers herein granted, and to submit the same to the 

Administrator for his approval together with true copie of any 

amendments or additions when made thereto, minutes of meetings 

when held, and such other information as to its activities as the 

Administrator may deem neces. ary to effect the purposes of the 

Act. 

( c) To ·define trade areas and designate the boundarie. · thereof, 

subject to the approval of the Administrator. 3 

(cl) To establish a Code Control Board for any trade area, either 

through the channels of such laundry trade a,sociations as the National Association may designate as Authorized Associations, or 

through ·uch individuals or groups as the Code Authority hall 

designate, and to provide that each uch board hall be truly representatiYc of the trade, and such other group or groups as the Code 

Authority hall direct within the trade area under its jurisdiction; 

to designate the trade area over which each Code Control Board 

shall have jurisdiction, subject to the approval of the Administrator; 

and, to delegate to such boards such of the powers and dutie · reposed 

in the Code Authority as may be necessary for the effective aclminjstration and enforcement of this code in their respective trade 

areas. 4 • 

(e) To choose from among its membership an executive committee 

of not more than five (5) persons and to delegate to such executive 

committee, during intervals between meeting of the Code Authority, 

any of the power and duties reposed in it by this Code, provided, 

however that nothing herein shall relie,'e the Code Authority of its 

duties or responsibilities under this Code. 

3 See paragraph :1 (i) of order approvLng this Code. 4 See paragraph 3 (2) of order approving this Code. 
500 

The Chairman of the Code Authority shall be a member of the 

Executive Committee; one member of such Committee shall be cho en 

from anong tho e members of the Code Authority appointed by the 

Administrator or selected in the manner prescribed by him as provided in Section 2 (b) of Article VI; one shall be chosen from those 

elected by the States of ,v ashington, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, 

Colorado, Utah, Idaho, California, Nevada, Arizona, Minnesota 

Nebraska , South Dakota, Jorth Dakota, "\Visconsin, J\llis ouri, ICansas 

and Iowa · one shall be chosen from among those elected by the States 

of Texas, Oklahoma New i1exico Arkan. as, J.\fississippi, Tennessee, 

Alabama, Louisiana, l(entucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, 

Georgia, Florida, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and 

,vest Virginia; and one ·hall be chosen from among those elected 

by the State.· of i1ichigan, Indiana, Ohio, Massachusetts, Rhode 

I land, Connecticut, Vermont, :Maine, New Hampshire, Ne"\\ York, 

New Jer 0 y, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Illinois. 

The representatives of the Administrator as appointed in Section 

2 (a) of this Article, shall be notified of all meetings of the Executive Committee ancl may attend such meetings without vote. 

(f) To revoke any delegation of any of its powers and duties 

whenever it . hall determine that they are not being fully or properly 

exercised. 

(g) To coordinate and harmonize the acti, ities of the variou 

Code Control Boards. 

(h) To pre cribe an equitable method of voting at meetings of 

member · of the trade participating in this Code. 

(i) To delegate to any Code Control Board the power to establish uniform service names for laundry services, to define said ervices to e. tabli ·h a uniform method of billing such services, and to 

pre crib 0 their use within its trade area or areas. 5 • 

(j) To cau e the Code Control Board, subject to the approval of 

the Administrator, to e. tablish and prescribe, after due notice to 

m€mbers of the trade ancl to representative of consumers and others 

affected by this provi ion and a public hearing in each trade area at 

" ·hich representatives of consumers and other groups affected thereby 

shall be given an opportunity to be heard, fair and reasonable minimum wholesale and retail prices by trade areas for the several 

services comprised within the definition of the laundry trade; such 

minimum whole ale and retail prices to be sufficient to provide for 

carrying out the purposes of the Act, to be consistent with maintenance of the minimum tandarcls of quality prescribed by the Code 

Authority, to enable the trade to maintain the payment of at least 

minimum lfages herein establi ·hed and other wages properly based 

thereon, the furnishing of stable employment necessary to maintain 

the trade, and such other considerations reasonably pertinent thereto. 

In the event that any member of the trade complying with the provi ions of this code. can show to the State Director of the National 

Emergency Council neare t the locality within which such member 

i,~ ituated that hi normal and usual price schedule, during the three 

con~·ecutive yea rs prior to approval thereof, have been below the minimum price e tabli hed hereunder, and such fact shall have been 

cerbfied to the Code Control Board for the trade area in which he is 

r, See pm ngrnph :} (3) of order a ppro,ing t\is Code. 
501 

located, such member hall not be required by uch e tablished minimum prices to increase hi aid price chedule in exce of 20%; 

nor thereafter to increa ·e hi former price chedule by more than 

20% at any one time in order to comply with any reYision of such 

establi hed minimum price . In the e-,ent that 305' of the Yotes ca t by member.~ of the trade 

in any trade area Yoting according to the method of voting precribe~d for the election of the Board of Directors of the National 

As~ociation . hall object to the price o e tabli heel for such trade 

area such price ·hall be automatically suspended pending a further 

hearing and restu ly, and findings shall have been made by the Code 

Control Board for such trade area sustaining such prices as fair and 

rea ~onable minimum "'IT'holesale and retail price , or establishing 

reYisecl prices and the Administrator shall have approved such 

price first established or ·uch revised price . 

Any minimum prices thus e tablished may from time to time be 

jncrea ed or decrea ed by the Code Authority, with the approval of 

the Administrator according to changing conditions. 

Immediately after any uch prices, increases, and/ or reductions 

haYe been approYed by the ... dmini trator, the Code Authority shall 

take such tep a are reasonably calculated to notify all members of 

the trade thereof. Such prices, increases and/ or reductions shall go 

into effect upon uch date or dates as the Code Authority shall fix, 

subject to the approYal of the Adrn.inistrator.5 

(k) To adopt and pre cribe minimum standard of quality for 

each of the se-,eral types of serYice performed by the laundry trade, 

and to this end to cooperate with a committee to be elected by the 

follo"'IT'ing methods : 

(1) One (1) actiYe member of the ational Association . hall be 

appointed by the Board of Directors of that Association. 

(2) One (1) technician from the staff of the Nationa~ A ociation 

shall be appointed by the Board of Directors of that A sociation. 

(3) One (1) per on may be appointed by the American Home 

Economics A ociation. 

(4) One (1) tBchnician (who n1ay be selected from without the 

trade, preferably from the United States Bureau of Standards) shall 

~e agreed upon by the three (3) persons appointed under the preceding three (3) sub-paragraphs or, in the eYent they fail to agree, by 

the Administrator. 

( 1) To make studie and iff,e tigations of conditions and practices 

current in the trade· to gather statistics fro1n governmental and 

other agencies· to require und secure from all members of the trade, 

in uch forn1 a the Code Authority may pre cribe such reports and 

information a i rea onably pertinent to effectuate the purpo es of 

the Act and of this Code, for u e of the Code Authority and the Admini trator in the admini tration and enforcement of the Code and 

for th~ information of the Pre ident; to compile, tabulate publi h, 

a_nd ch t~ibute report ba eel on such tudie inve tigations. tatistic_ , and mformation: to _a si t member of the trade participating in 

th1 Code by developing impro,ed methods for operations incidental 

to and in connection with the launclr.) trade and a uniform system of 

5 See paragraph 3 (3) of order a pproving this Coue. 
502 

accounti_ng and reporting. \11 indi, idual' r&ports shall be kept confidential and only general summaries thereof may be published. 

(m) To promote under the auspices of some impartial organization, the formation of u. Board of Arbitration in the jurisdiction of 

each Code Control Board to s-ett!e unadjusted customer claims 

against members of the '-rade which, by mutual consent of the interested parties, are presented to such Board of Arbitration. 

(n) To require that all individual and group cost data as may be 

necessary under this Code, be ascertained, and cost allocated to the 

various laundry services and articles in a manner approved by the 

Code Authority. All such data shall be obtainect by accountants 

recognized by the Code Authority as qualified. 

( o) In any trade area the members of the trad-e may by agree1nent of two-thirds of the total number of votes cast according to 

the method of voting prescribed for the election of the Board of 

Directors of the National Association, ubject to the approval of 

the Administrator, establish uniform hours for opening and closing 

all retail outlets within such trade area which, when approved by 

the ·Administrator or his deputy, shall be binding upon all members 

of the trade within such trade area, provided however, in no case 

shall any retail outlet receive work from or deliver ·work to cu tamers 

before 5 A.M. or after 8 P.11. or on Sunday. 

(p) To establish and prescribe, ubject to the approYal of the 

Administrator, a uniform contract for the ale of laundry . ervice 

for resale to be used by all members of the trade. 

( q) To designate any trade a sociation 01· any other agency or 

agencies to assist it in performing its duties herein prescribed. 

(r) To cooperate with the Administrator in the establishment of 

an advisory council for all textile maintenance service trade , to consider and advi.se with the Admini. trator on matters of concern to two 

or more such service trades operating under separate code of fair 

competition, and to appoint representatives of the laundry trade to 

such advisory council. 

(s) To initiate, con ider, and make recommendations for the 

modification or amendment of this Code.G 

7. In addition to the information required to be submitted to the 

Code Authority as set forth in this Article, there shall be furnished 

to government agencies such statistical information as the Administrator may deem neces ary for the purposes recited in Section 3 (a) 

of the Act. 

8. If the Administrator shall determine that any action of a code 

authority or any agency thereof may be unfair or unjust or contrary 

to the public interest, the Administrator may require that such action 

be suspended to afford an opportunity for investigation of the merits 

of such action and further consideration by such code authority or 

agency pending final action, which shall not be effected unle s the 

Administrator approves or unless he shall fail to disapprove after 

30 days' notice to him of intention to proceed with such action in its 

original or modified form. 7 

• See paragraphs 3 (4) anu 3 (5) of ord<>r approYing this Code. 7 Sec paragraph 4 of oruer approving this Code. 
503 

The following practices constitute unfair methods of competition 

for members of the laundry trade and are p1·ohibitecl: 

1. False M arkin_q 01· Labeling.-The false marking or labeling of 

any laundry service which has a tendency to mislead or deceive customers or prospective customers, ·whether as to the grade, quality, 

finish, or otherwise. 

2. Mis'representation or False or JfisleadJ-ing Advertising.-The use 

( or participation therein) of, the publication or the broadcasting of 

any untrue, deceptive, or misleading representation, statement, or 

illustration, or the making of unfair com peti ti ve claims in connection 

with and for the purpose of furthering the sale of laundry service. 

3. Interference with Oontractiwl Relations.-~1aliciously inducing 

or attempting to induce the breach of an existing contract between a 

competitor and his customer or source of supply or interfering or 

obstructing the performance of any such contractual duties or serYice. 

4. Rebates.-The s€cret payment or secret allmYance to any customer, or to any employee of a customer of rebates, refunds, commis- sions, credits, free laundry service, or unearned di ·counts, whether in 

the form of money or otherwise, including the extension to certain 

customers of special serYices or privileges, :false inYoicing, and rebates 

under the guise of allowance for lost, misplaced, or damaged articles. 

5. Unfair llf erchandising Devices.-(a) The furnishtng of free 

work to anyone except an employee or a bona fide charity. 

(b) The use of lotteries. 

( c) The use of coupon books, discount coupons or premiums. 

(d) The giving, permitting to be given or directly offering to give 

free service, commissions, or any other consideration to any employee of any apartment house, club, or institution as an inducement 

to secure or retain the patronage of customers residing therein. 

The provisions of this section shall not, however, prohibit (1) the 

use of coupon books, discount coupons, premiums, or certificates by 

a member of the trade who was u ing such coupon books, discount 

coupons, premiums, or certificates on the effectfre date of this Code, 

under a subsisting and binding contract with a person not a member 

of the trade, but only until the expiration of such contract, or (2) 

the use of coupon books or of discount coupons provided the Code 

Control Board in any trade area appro--res such use for all members 

of the trade in such area. 

6. Defarnation.-The defamation of a competitor by falsely imputing to him dishonorable conduct, inability to perform contracts, 

questionable credit standing, or by other false representations, or by 

the false disparagement of the grade or quality of his service. 

7. Espionage of Oompetitors.-Securing confidential information 

concerning the business of a competitor by false or mi leading statement or representation, by false impersonation of one in authority, 

by bribery, or by any other unfair method. 

3. i?nitation of 001npetitor.-The u e or imitation of the trade 

mark, trade name, slogan, or characteristic design or color cheme 

of a competitor with the intention or having the tendency or 

capacity of deceiving the customers of such competitors. 
504 

~- Fw·nisldng any Se1·vice, Material or E quiprnent.-Rendering 

any service other than laundry service or furnishing any materials 

or equipment to anyone unless adequately compensated therefor. 

10. Enticing Away Employees.-Maliciously enticing away an 

employee of a competitor with the purpose and infont of unduly 

hampering, injuring or embarrassing a competitor in his business. 

Nothing herein shall prevent any employee from offering his services 

to a competitor or prevent any member of the trade from employing 

an employee of another member of the trade where the intiative in 

such change of employment comes solely fro111 the employee. 

11. S elling For R esale.- (a) The sale of laundry services knowingly to anyone for re ale who fails to comply with the provisions 

of thi. · Code ancl the rules, regulations and interpretations promulgated hereunder. (b) Selling laundry service at wholesale to anyone for resale unless the charges for such wholesale laundry service 

exceed $20 per week, for each four week period. 

12. S elling Below llf ini?num, Prices.-The sale of any laundry 

service in, or for delivery in, or for resale in, any trade area at less 

than the minimum retail or wholesale price ( as the case may be) for 

such service as and when established for such trade area under the 

provisions of Article VI, Section 6 (j) of this Code. 

13. S elling Below Standard Quality.-The offering of any laundry 

service to the public below the minimum standards of quality for 

such service as and when prescribed by the Code Authority pursuant 

to the provisions of Article VI, Section 6 (k) of this Code. 

14. E xtension of Oredit.-Requiring the extension of credit to any 

customer by a route salesman unless the employer has authorized 

such credit and assumed full responsibility for the payment thereof. 

15. Posting of Insi1,rance Inf 01'1'JU1tion.- Failure to display in a 

conspicuous place a printed or written placard stating whether, to 

what extent, and against what hazards articles accepted for laundering are protected by insurance for the benefit of the customer. 

16. E11iployee Deposits.-Failure of a member of the trade, who 

receives from any employee a deposit in the nature of a security or 

bond, to egregate from the assets of such member such deposit to be 

held in trust from which no withdrawals are to be permitted except 

for repayment to the employee or for payment to the employer for 

obligations of the employee to the employer. Any such funds not 

now so segregated shall be segregated at no later date than six (6) 

months after the effective date of this Code. 

ARTICLE VIII- MrscELLANEous OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE 

TRADE 

1. When 1ninimum prices shall have been established, as prescribed 

in Article VI covering any or all services, every member of the trade 

shall have available at all offices and vehicles from which delivery 

to customers is made, a price list clearly defining such services and 

such of the minimum prices as shall have been so e tablished at 

which such services are sold. 

2. All offices or vehicles distributing laundry service not owned 

or carrying the name of the member of the trade where the major 

part of such laundry service is produced shall prominently display 
505 

either the term "Agency ' or ' Di. tributor" ( as the case may be), 

provided, however, that this section shall not become effective until 

sixty (60) days after the effective date of this Code. 

3. Every member of the trade shall display his name at each 

office and on each vehicle owned and/or operated by him. 

ARTICLE IX-lVfoDIFICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTS 

1. The President may from time to time cancel or modify any 

order, approval, license, rule or regulation, issued under the Act. 

2. This Code, except as to provisions required by the Act, may be 

modified on the basis of experience or changes in circumstances, 

such modification to be based upon application to the Administrator 

and such notice and hearing as he shall specify, and to become 

effective on approval of the President. 

3. Any authorized association may, with the approval of the Code 

Authority, submit to the Administrator supplements to this Code 

affecting any trade area or areas served by them, providing said 

supplements carry out the purposes of Title I of the Act. 

ARTICLE X-:MoNOPOLrns 

No provision of this Code shall be so applied as to permit monopolies or monopolistic practices, or to eliminate, oppress, or discriminate against small enterprises. 

ARTICLE XI-EFFECTIVE DATE 

This Code shall become effectiYe on its approval by the President. 

Approved Code No. 281. 

Registry No. 1735-2-10. 

0 


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