Imperial Valley press., 1933-11-04
JOHNSON AND
FORD RESUME
CODE BATTLE
Manufacturer Says Lay-Off Of
Men Necessitated By Auto
mobile Code.
NRA CHIEF COMES BACK
Declares Exception will Be
Made If Suspension Not Due
To Seasonal Slump.

To Seasonal Slump.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4. U.p)-
The NRA today offered Henry Ford
a means of avoiding the layoff
which he has announced for his
Dearborn plant workers beginning
next week.
In statement Administrator
Hugh S. johnson said that the
probable reason for Mr.. Ford IS an
nounced action was a seasonal
production slump.
Johnson's statement said that If
Ford really wants to retain any of
the men he says he is laying off,
the NRA will "be glad to consider
an exception permitting him to
continue them all in employment. -
johnson IS statement:
"Mr. Ford s probable reason for
laying off these 1900 men Is that
his production has fallen off sea-
sonally. I do not know how fairly
he has dealt with his average 35
hours, and I will not know until I
have seen the figures to be SUBJ
mitted on November 7.
fBut if Mr.. Ford wants to give
work to any of these 5000 men he
says he is laying off on a man
date, we will be glad to grant an
exception permitting him to con-
tinue them all in employment.
The effect of the johnson state
ment was to throw back to Ford
the burden of proof in justifying
or explaining the layoff. Ford S
announcement said it was neces-
sary because of the automobile
code.
Johnson said that he believes the
real reason is seasonal slump and
that if the automobile code pro-
vides a barrier to continued en-
ployment in Ford S Interpretation
of it that problem can be speedily
removed
An exception such as johnson
proposed would enable Ford to
continue long production at his
present level if his sales demands
warrant continued long hours than
provided in the code.
DETROIT. Nov. d M.,D - EN-
ployees of the Ford Motor company
will be laid off one week each, in
rotation, in order to bring their
average working week over three
months period to 35 hours, the Ford
company announced.
While Ford officials would not
comment on the point, it was un-
derstood that wages were to be
paid only for TIE 35 hour week av-
erage. Previously the men had been
working on 40 hour week average.
Ford officials insisted that their
action was based on desire to
comply explicitly with the MIRA
code and some observers saw no
new conflict in it between Ford and
the recovery administration.
But others interpreted a remark
of a Ford official in connection
with the announcement of the
plan, that the NRA embodies a
"prohibition against work." as at
least emphasizing the disagreement
between Ford and the administra-
tors of the recovery act.
Under the Ford plan, 5000 men
will be laid off for a week at
time, returning to their jobs and
replacing another shift Of 5000 at
the expiration of a weeks idleness.
The Ford company has been
working its men in shifts OF 4O
hours week maintaining 1t was
more satisfactory both to the men
and to the company. The automo-
bile code, which. Ford never signed,
provides for a 35 hour work week.
Ford officials insisted that the lay
off plan was designed only to make
the average work week of each en-
ployee over a three months period
35 hours per week, a plan which
was said to be in no conflict what
ever with tEe automobile code.
At the same time it was admit
ted that there was no stipulation
in the code or the recovery act to
prevent an employer from laying
off men to bring about an average
of reduced working hours.
Officials saw in the Ford situ-
alton. howere, a determination by
the Detroit manufacturer to COM
ply with the code while at the same
time withholding from any gesture
of cooperation with the aims of the
recovery program-employment OF
additional men and restoration of