The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-05-06
Demand Minimum Wage


The President is suspending judg-
ment, meanwhile, and reserving
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 dead level. Conclusive diSproof
is to be found in the Investigations
of wages paid before and after the
minimum wage rates were 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 SIC a week mini
mum exists for women, showing
that 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 its 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.
II ask for the short work week
minimum wage bill because it is for
the first time an attempt to meet
the evil at its very source" he said.
Industry Can Supervise Self
81 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 defla-
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-
gram than ever before. And if it is
not enacted. there will be bank
holiday with no banks reopening
afterward."
Hillman scored the foreign en-
barge clause advocated by Chairman
Connery as certain way to kill
the legislation"
Adventure Held Risky
1T is a risky adventure to pro-
coed further in the depression with
out a minimum wage as a COM
panion piece to hours legislation"
said Stephen RauShenbush, speaking
for the department of labor of
Pennsylvania and also for the
United Mine Workers of America.
This bill is the only one offered
which will bring the wage-earners
up 10 the subsistence level"
The problem now worrying draft
ers of the industrial control bill con-
Germs protection of workers. In gen.
eral, the plan seeks to establish the
right of collective bargaining and
to outlaw the yellow dog contract.
The problem of securing decent
wages at once in unorganized plants
and plants where company unions
exist has proved difficult.
The other end of the proposal,
providing federal regulation of trade
association agreements TO control
production and prices. has been ap-
proved in principle by the United
States Chamber of Commerce, in
session here.