The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-05-06
SPEEDS
SHORTER WORK
WEEK ACTION
Leaders Expect to Report
Bill Today; Snag Hit by
Wage Measure.
MINIMUM PAY URGED
Frances Perkins and Head
of Clothing Union Plead
for Set Price.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times staff Writer

WASHINGTON, May 6.-Short
work week legislation moved several
steps closer to enactment today,
while substitute legislation for con-
troll of production and prices, as
well as hours of labor and wages,
ran into difficulties.
The house labor committee con-
Guided hearings on the first measure
late Friday and prepared today to
report a bill regardless of what
action may be taken by groups con-
ferring on the broader plan.
Those working on the industrial
control measure, however, have not
succeeded in drafting bill accept
able to the divergent employer end
employee groups interested. AS soon
as agreement is reached, Senator
Robert F. Wagner Oem., N. "
will lay the bill before President
Roosevelt and ask his serious con-
Sideration.
Demand Minimum Wage
The President is suspending judg-
ment, meanwhile, and reServlng
comment until the two measures are
in definite form His present plans
call for separate consideration OF
public works.
A broadside in behalf of minimum
wage legislation as part of any plan
that may be adopted for putting
men and women back at work in
industry closed the hearings before
the labor committee. 1t was led by
Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins
and echoed by strong groups of Or
ganized workers.
The committee displayed more
sympathetic interest than at any
previous time.
While the committee was deep in
this discussion, memorandum ar
rived from Secretary Perkins,
answering objections to the mini
mum wage raised in the hearings.
: Minimum wage legislation has
been opposed on the ground that
the minimum will become the maxi
mum, that all workers will be kept
at a dead level. Conclusive diSproof
is to be found in the Investigations
of wages paid before and after the
minimum wage rates we're put into
effect and the constantly increasing
proportion of workers receiving
more than the minimum rate"
Hillman Voices Warning
The secretary quoted figures from
California, where a SIG a week mini
mum exists for women, showing
that a constantly increasing num-
Der of women, reaching in 1927 to
$40 per cent of the total, received
wages in excess of SIT.
There is a well-entrenched Gus
tom of paying the skilled worker
more than the unskilled," said Miss
Perkins. Increasing the wage of
the unskilled would, therefore, bring
pressure in the direction of forcing
the wage of the skilled up somewhat
in proportion"
Powerful arguments for the mini
mum wage were presented in be-
half of one of the strongest labor Or
CARNATIONS in the country, Amalga-
mated Clothing Workers of America,
by it's president, Sidney Hillman.
In spite of the strength of his or
ganization, Hillman said, his
workers can not be protected except
with help from the national govern
ment.
Il ask for the short work week.
minimum wage bill because it is for
the first time an attempt to meet
the evil at it's very source" he said.
Industry Can Supervise Self
Il am for it because it gives in
dustry, under supervision and
guidance of the government, oppor-
tunity to manage itself.
Il am for it right now because so
far all measures adopted by the adj
ministration have, by reason of the
financial crisis, been purely def1a-
tionary. The closing of the banks
has left five billions of dollars fro
zen. AS for imitation, which has
given us the cheaper dollar and
higher price level for commodities,
it still has left us with declining
wages.
This bill is more necessary in
connection with the imitation pro-
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