Evening star., 1933-09-12
CHARGES L0BB|ES
FILL WASHINGTON
Green Threatens to Go Be-
fore Nation and Demand
-
Shorter N. R. A. Hours.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Charging that Washington Is filled
with agents and lobbyists Of great
manufacturing enterprises and that re-
employment has not been what it
should have been" William Green.
president of the American Federation
Of Labor, last night threatened to go
before the country and demand shorter
hours from industrial leaders under the
N. r. A. codes.
If we enter the coming Winter with
six Or seven millions Of unemployed
now indicated, the labor movement
cannot guarantee that stability neces-
say to orderly industrial recovery"
Green declared
Beyond any question" he continued
in a statement, the National Recovery
Administration has reached point
where there must be reviving of pur-
pose toward the two main objectives-
the creation Of employment and the
Tabtng OF purchasing power.
Sees Three Essentials.
eve have been making a careful
study of N. r. A. results and we have
been considering the future from every
possible point OF view. Three things
stand out as absolutely essential unless
the recovery program Is to drag along
at a speed so slow as to leave us facing
another Winter Of severe unemploy-
meft
eFirst, there must be real shorten
ing Of the work weeks established under
=
ment through notifications and substi-
tutions.
sSecond. there must be new high
wage levels and there must be an end
ofsthe differentials between North and
Sohth This can be done through de-
termination on the part of the admin
istration not to compromise further with
employers who have not yet come to see
Americas tremendous need through
glasses untinged by their own greed.
"Third, there must be no deviation
from Gen. Johnson's pledge that there
wiA be no further codes permitted con-
tanning qualifications of section IA, the
labor section of the recovery act.
while we contend that the language
used in the automobile code, to the ef-
feet that employment, discharge and
promotion Is to be on the basis of merit
does not modify or change the law, We
know that in practice that extenuating
language is being used by employers in
such manner as to constitute modi
fication In fact. They are extracting
portions Of the language for use on
bulletin boards and IN house organs in
such manner as to indicate to workers
that the language inserted in the code
Is in fact the law, emitting entirely the
concluding words which assert that the
clause does not change or modify the
law.
Law Must Be Enforced.
Gen. johnson has stated clearly that
this language will not be permitted in
any future codes and we expect he will
adhere to his decision. He has said, and
we agree. that the law must be enforced
as it was written by Congress and not
as certain employers would like to have
1t rewritten.
"One Of the best ways to promote
strikes and general disorder will be to
tamper with the law, either as to its
Interpretation or its application. The
great masses Of our people have faith
that their economic delivery lies in the
national industrial recovery act and 1t
will not be for the best interests of
America II they are disappointed
through quibbling and twisting and
evading"
Labor stated in the beginning and
even long before the recovery act be-
came law that American industry re-
quired 35-hour week If we were to re-
cover from depression" Green said.
But literally, scores of modified re-
employment agreements have eStab-
lished work weeks OF 40 hours and
more Some have been as long as SO
hours.
Let me ask industry. as it seeks |
these astoundingly long work weeks,
how long can We be expected to refrain
from going to the country on the issue
thus laid down? Not long, let me as
sure you.
Our convention (the A. F. Of L. an |
nual meeting) will be platform from
which We shall tell the American people |
the exact situation and there will be no |
fear or favor in our utterances.
To-day Washington is filled with the
agents and lobbyists of great manufac-
turing enterprises and their Wall Street !
financiers. Many Of them have no !
no idea OF the meaning OF |
q New Deal. They are trying again to |
restore the Old Deal. They are trying |
all of the old back doors and some new !
back doors and they find much help in |
these places. They have got too much |
there already"
Green asserted that the N. r. AS
Labor Advisory Board has been COM
pelled to fight one battle after another
In behalf Of the integrity of the law
and its spirit. and in behalf Of the
Ideals found in that law by the Presl-
dent and his administrators"
Finds Little to Say.
"I find all too little to say for the
conduct of such enormous industries as
steel, automobiles and coal and we may
yet have to press with vigor for re-
calling OF the codes of some of them
In order that they may be changed to
mean more to the masses OF the people
Of our country" Green added.
"Our point Of view simply is that
America is no longer a great reservoir
from which financial powers may draw
income through financing and exploit
ing devices"
Green issued his statement after a
meeting Of the executive council Of the
in preparation for the ma
tional convention october 2, at which
he will stand for reelection.