The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-06-27
TEXTILE INDUSTRY
EXAMINES CODE FOR
FAIR COMPETITION
Government Launches First
Widespread Attempt To
Regulate Wages
ALL SIDES REPRESENTED
Manufacturers and Laborers to
Present Arguments to
Administrator


lin D. Roosevelt's idea OF how to bring
about a helpful industrial revolution
was opened to public scrutiny Tues
day with hearings on the application
of cotton textile makers to regulate
working hours and wages.
The proposed code Of fair COMPETE
ton. submitted under the Industrial
Recovery Act by more than two thirds
Of the cotton textile operators, rep
resented the first widespread attempt
Of the government to regulate wages
within private industry. It repre-
sented, also, the first open agreement
among manufacturers since the pass
age Of the Sherman Antitrust law.
Because of the supreme Importance
which he attached to this first hear
ing, Hugh S. johnson, national re-
covery administrator, chose himself
to preside and interpret the legisla-
ton.
Supporting the agreement designed
to raise wages generally throughout
the textile mills as the first step in
q general upward shift, were George
A. Sloan, of New York, president of
the cotton-textile institute: T. M.
Marchant Of Greenville, South Car
DINA, president of the American Cot
ton Manufacturer association, rep
resenting southern mills, and Robert
Amory of Nashua, New Hampshire,
speaking for the northern plants.
Labor May File Protest
Awaiting its turn, labor had spokes-
men ready. There were indications
opposition would be presented to the
minimum wage scale provided in the
agreement.
For northern mills this scale was
placed at $1l for 40-hour work week
and in the south $40. No worker
would be permitted to work more than
40 hours and productive machinery
could be operated only two 40 hour
shifts week.
In addition, as required by law, the
agreement granted workers the right
to bargain collectively and to organize
in any manner they chose.
Opening the discussion, Sloan said
the code would make jobs. for 100000
idle men, eliminate child labor and
enhance the purchasing power OF
workers. He called attention to the
fact that tariff protection will be
needed to make it effective.
Child labor, he said, will be elimin-
ated because of the minimum wage
scale, since employers will be able to
obtain older workers for the same
rate Of pay.
Dairymen Ask Action
Representatives Of the dairy indus
try, which produces about one-fourth
Of American farm income, Monday
night voted to ask Secretary Wallace
to employ his drastic licensing pow
ers to enforce dairy trade agreements.
Their decision came soon after rep
resentatiyes of butter manufacturers
and distributors had submitted pro-
posed trade agreement calling for the
fixing of minimum weekly prices OF
butter by dairy council Of 10 mem
bers in the major markets.
The vote favoring licensing was
taken at the general dairy conference
called by administrators Of the farm
act. More than 200 representatives
Of producers, professors and distri-
butors. including officers Of both CO.
operative and private concerns, were
present.
Under his licensing powers wallace
can refuse operating permits to con-
Germs which fail to observe trade
agreements now being drawn for
every phase Of the dairy industry, In
Guiding butter, cheese, fluid milk,
evaporated and dry milk and ice
cream manufacturing. A concern
operating without a license Is subject
to q daily fine Of $1,000.
The group selected committee toI
represent each phase Of the industry
in correlating an agreement which
each will present In an effort to in
crease the return to producers.
John Brandt, Minneapolis, was
named to the committee on rnanufac-
ture and sale.