Evening star., 1933-04-12
Law to Cul'tail Working Day
Meets Critical Opposite

Very little public support Is given to
the measure which would provide for
establishment by law Of q 30-hour
week, through exercise Of control over
interstate commerce. Many believe 1t
Is unconstitutional under the ruling
which was applied to Q child labor law.
1t Is further contended that 1t would
not provide the relief Of unemployment
that Is desired and that It would In
crease production costs, with resulting
loss. Of business. Proposal to place
arouses protest against the eject on
foreign trade.
'The question Of constitutionality Is
the stumbling block" thinks the Mil
waukee Sentinel, recalling that "the en-
actments which aimed to control child
labor under the interstate commerce
laws were rejected by the Supreme
Court" That paper, however, records
that "many Industrial institutions
months ago staggered their work so a.
to employ the greatest possible number
Of men on reduced time tables" The
Boston Transcript adds that "h the
Supreme Court should hold that Con-
gress had power. In the emergencies OF
peace comparable to war powers, then
there might be virtual suspension OF
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That paper, however, adds that @it re-
mains to be seen whether this two-year
clause win provide saving grace for the
30-hour bill"
Taking q stand against increased cost
Of production, the youngstown Vindi-
Gator argues: Everywhere business Is
just managing to limp along, either
breaking even with difflculty or incur
ring losses which must be made up out
Of surplus. or borrowing against possible
future earnings. To require these COM
panies to add heavily to their expense
would drive them into bankruptcy.
bill would therefore add untold num-
bers to their ranks
Applied to some lines Of business, 1t
would prove q severe, If not an insur-
mountable handicap" In the opinion of
the Roanoke World-News, which holds
that 'it would have, IN those lines, the
effect Of reducing the standard Of iv-
ing and the purchasing power OF the
people over large areas on permanent
basis, to the present emergency levels
Of three-day-a-week employment. which
many regard as bare subsistence" The
World-News calls it "a very direct Fed
eral invasion Of the rights OF the
States" and quotes the child-labor de-
IL
court held that the power Of Congress
to regulate interstate commerce was
merely to prescribe the rules by which
commerce Is carried on" The Spokane
Spokesman-Review argues that "one
objection to the bill Is that production
costs would be increased, even with
possible compensatory wage ADJUST
ments, and these would be passed on
to the consumer" That paper also
fears that necessary wage adjustments
would lead to strikes and lockouts
and still further disturbance OF In
dustry and business"
Senator Reeds charge of "sentimen-
talism run mad" Is quoted by the New
American industry has never been
confronted with more dangerous and
revolutionary proposal on the part OF
Congress-" and the advice that "con-
stitutional questions aside, such . bill
would impose upon industry burdens
1t could not possibly carry without
higher tariffs and higher prices for its
product" The Cincinnati Times-Star
contends as to the task involved: why
would 1t be wise to try to enforce by
law any such radical change a. the
sudden adoption Of q S0-hour week?
The number Of industries exempted by
amendments adopted IN the Senate Is
q strong argument against the prac-
ticability Of such procedure. Four
teen years ago we tried suddenly to
change the currents Of human existence
by the legal nat Of prohibition. That |
experiment was scarcely successful. It's
failure should serve as a warning |
against future attempts at the abrupt |
use Of law making In changing the |
habits and customs Of the people"
"The benefits Of the 30-hour week" |
says the Lexington Leader, "have prob |
ably been greatly exaggerated. The |
claim that It win afford Jobs to o,o00,- |
300 men now tdls rests On vsgy tnSub-