The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1932-09-30
FREY CONDEMNS
Twelve-Hour Day in De-
preston Year

Washington, D. G. (ILNS).-Argu-
ments for wage standards fixed by
Federal laws were combatted before
the House Committee Investigating
Competition with Private Industry
here last week by John P. Frey, tes-
tifying for the Metal Trades Depart
ment of the A. f. of L., of which he
is secretary-treasurer.
Some good strong blows against
of workers and against
putting prison-made products into
commercial channels also were struck
by the labor witness.
Frey said that if Congress were to
legislate wage standard it also
would have to legislate price stand
ards for everything the worker must
buy, including rent, dentists bills doc
tors bills and commodity prices, or
"we would be at their mercy" Incl
dentally, he made it very clear that
labor is not opposed to manufacture
of army uniforms in government
owned plants.
Flies in Ointment
While Mr.. Frey was on the witness
stand, Representative Rich asked:
"Should not there be a uniform
standard of wage set, not only for
manufacturers of uniforms for the
government, but, for all manufac-
turers, so that all would be on uni
form basis, protecting manufacturers
and labor alike p
"Australia and New Zealand be-
lieved that could be done and secured
legislation to standardize wages"
Mr.. Frey replied, ''but they discov-
cred a fly in the ointment. While the
government did standardize wages it
did not standardize the prices of
things, of rentals and other factors in
the cost of living.
"If the wages were standardized by
Congress without standardizing these
prices of what labor has to pay, labor
would be worse off. The attempt to
fix wages and prices has never been
successful"
He pointed out that in some sec
tions of the United States, the cost of
living is higher than in some other
sections.
He said that for many articles the
enlisted men buy at government post
exchanges there should be no opposi-
ton, but that the variety of things
sold could be extended to the point
where it would be an abuse.
made in Leavenworth'
"Where are the shoes made for the
enlisted soldier?" asked Chairman
Shannon (Dem.) of Kansas City, Mo
81 believe, at Leavenworth," the
witness replied.
81 have heard there has been COM
plant because some officers have had
their uniforms made at the Quarter
masters depot at Philadelphia" Mr.
Frey said. $50 long as the salaries
of the junior officers are as low as
they are now, | feel the government
is under obligation to enable them to
get their uniforms as cheaply as pos
sible."
He added that he understood the
salaries of a colonel in the Army or a
captain in the Navy are less than 1C
years ago
Cites 12-H0ur Day
Mr.. Frey said that 1--WE want the
business men to continue business
He criticized zone of the best known
national manufacturers of heavy ma.
chinery in New Jersey" for furnish
ing material to Boulder Dam, and
said that to carry out their contracts
that plant has instituted two shifts OF
IL hours each, seven days week
That plant pays skilled labor SO to g.
cents an hour, instead of 85 cents tG
S1.5O an hour, he said.
"They have not followed out the
work-staggering plan?" asked Repre-
sentative Pettengill (Dem.) of South
Bend, Ind.
mo" replied the witness.
"If there was a minimum wage
scale standard they could not dc
that?" interrupted Representative
Rich.
Mr.. Frey said there is difficulty IL
that if there was a Federal minimum
rate 1--WE would have to have Fed
eral Inspector in every plant in the
country"
Ban On Extremists
He said he is opposed to the pro
fessional militarist and the profes
sional pacifist and that there is grave
danger from both extremes. HI
quoted the attitude of the Federation