Evening star., 1933-01-18
LABOR HELD UNITED |
ON F|VE-DAy WEEK.
Green Denies Weinstock's
Claims to Leadership at
House Hearing.
BY the Associated Press.

A united front for legislation estab-
fishing the 5-day, 30-hour week was
asserted before Congress today by the
American Federation Of Labor with q
statement that John Weinstock, who
had claimed to represent wing of the
federation in opposing the plan, was
not a member of Size organization.
This disavowal Of Weinstock on the
part of the federation was made by its
president, william Green. He told the
House Labor Committee that VEIN
stock is known as an avowed Com
munist. To say that he is connected
with the federation is an untruth."
Weinstock. styling himself as head of
the American Federation of Labor
Trade Union Committee for Unemploy-
ment Insurance and Relief, recently had
vigorously attacked Green before q
Senate committee and had condemned
the 3o-hour week plan. His identiflca-
tion went undisputed upon that appear
ance.
Points to One Solution.
Green told the House Committee that
the country is faced with choice between
the shorter work day and week "or
large and perpetual army
of unemployed"
Amplifying on Weinstock. Green raid
"At the last national meeting of the
federation. he attempted to lead group
of misguided workers to the convention.
During the recent hunger march to
Washington he came to our Offices un-
der police protection and attempted in
an insulting way to intimidate me. He
is not connected with our organization"
Meantime, at continuing sessions of
the Senate judiciary subcommittee on
this subject today, Alfred p. Thorn.
general counsel for the Association of
Railway executives challenged consti-
tutionality of the measure, which would
set up the shortened work week as
condition to entry of manufactures in
interstate commerce.
State Action Urged.
Questioned by Senator Black, Demo-
crat. of Alabama, Thorn said he felt the
court would be compelled to hold the
bill unconstitutional even If it was
shown that shorter work hours we're
necessary for preservation of eiviliza-
He said If relief of that kind was
needed 1t should be sought in State
Green indorsed Chairman Connery's
bill to enforce the five-day week and six
hour day by prohibiting the shipment
in interstate and foreign commerce OF
commodities otherwise produced
More than 100000 men and
women are out of work and many mil
lion more are working part time" he
said. In my opinion, so per cent of
the entire population is very seriously
affected
Each day adds to the seriousness of
the situation. Each day makes 1t worse.
for more savings are dissipated and
more people become dependent upon
charity.
In the building trades alone SO per
cent are totally idle. IL to 13 per cent
are working part time only. So only
about 18 per cent are employed ap-
steadily.
This goes along in varying degrees
in all industry. The economic situa-
tion, of course. contributes, but back Of
it all is the mechanization of industry.
Even If We could suddenly restore. the
1929 peak it is estimated only 55 per
cent of those entitled to work would be
given employment.
Adjustments Necessary.
Even II we Introduce the five-day
week and six-hour day there will still
be some unemployed. But we must
make these adjustments. If we don't
we must reconcile ourselves to living in
a country with a constant standing
army of 100000 to l2.o00.0oo unem-
ployed.
Relief machinery is breaking down.
We can't keep people permanently on a
charitable basis, and even II we could
it is socially wrong and morally inde-
fensible"
Although Green was not prepared to
discuss the constitutionality of the pro-
posed bill, he said, There has been
some change in the judicial attitude of
the Supreme Court toward social and
labor problems since the child labor
opinion, and labor believes 1t now would
take q broader and more liberal atti-
tude. Therefore, we have reasonable
grounds for hope it would be held con-
Il
Green said his organization wanted
the same rate of pay" maintained
under the shorter working time.