Evening star., 1933-07-14
Voluntary Emergency Code
for Industries Believed
Imminent.
Continued From First Page.)

that when code is agreed to and the
industry sets up control committee
with representatives of the Recovery
Administration Oh it. this unit probably
would take charge of enforcement
The ell industry practically asks a
car, unlike other industries" johnson
said, "and l believe that our men on
the Oil Industries Committee will have
to be pretty husky trio"
In taking over the regional organ
ization of the Commerce Department
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com
merce, which is to be jointly shared
by its present director and his aCmin-
istration, he will not intrust the re-
gional managers with any executive
power nor win they be- authorized TO
conduct hearings These regional Offices
will mainly provide information.
Retailers Near Agreement.
Eve will need decentralization but
I believe we must keep all powers right
here under the Presidents eye or you
would have regional cars and politics
and all sorts of things entering in, b"
Johnson said.
Johnson also said he expected shortly
to have a trade code from the National
Retail Council which would apply work
IlOITS anu wage IllIlIlS uIllh cl
throughout the country. He said there
appeared very little difference between
the several industries on these points,
but that supplementary codes for the
separate retail lines probably would be
necessary.
Tomorrow the Recovery Administra-
ton expects to announce hearing dates
for great many agreements from small
industries. He could not estimate how
many there would be-
These are the schedules on which the
four new codes. submitted yesterday,
propose to increase purchasing power by
employing more men at higher wages,
Coal-A basic minimum wage of s.
day for underground workers
maximum hours to be decided at the
hearings.
Minimum wages OF 40 to AZ cents
an hour for a 40-hour week.
Contra ctors-M Minimum wages of 29l !,
TO sll.i cents an hour. depending upon
the State with maximum 1901 hour
month. against the present estimated
206hOur month.
WCmen'S cloak and Suit-50 cents tC
81 an hour for a 40-hour week
In the case Of none of these did
Johnson give advance Endorsement. He
indicated the oil code would be closely
studied. and suggested that all oil State
Governors have representatives at the
hearings.
Textile Agreements Sought.
AS the codes were placed on file. aides
to Gen. johnson sought agreements
among all textile lines competing with
cotton mills to put into effect wholesale
the 40-hour work week and wage levels
fNyft n@.a hn
minimums effective Monday.
Indications were strong that con-
certed action would result No official
announceme of the policy was forth
coming. but informally Two reasons
were given for the movement: First.
that cotton manufacturers. anxious over
their costs being increased beyond those
Of rayon, silk and wool. feared loss Of
business to these other lines and were
striving to eliminate the difference as
q competitive factor: second. that COM
peting manufacturers were fearful their
labor would move to nearby cotton
mills where wages and hours We're su-
perior but could not improve their own
rates unless large proportion Of mills
in their own line did likewise
In accepting the oil code. Johnson
asserted emphatically that his admins
tration had given no approval express
CT implied. to the agreement or any
Of its provisions. Furthermore. he in
dicated strongly that some provisions,
exempting much labor from the limita-
tions would be scrutinized carefully
Ha especially asked that all oil State
Governors attend the hearings or send
representatives. The State regulatory
commissions likewise have been asked
to send agents and. all Federal depart
mentS having to do with oil will take
part.
Some Points Remain at Issue.
The Petroleum Institute exempted
workers on isolated properties and
clerical help and the bumpers on stripper
wells. These are wells that have in
sufficient pressure to maintain a steady
flow. Furthermore. it told johnson that
there was not as yet formal agreement
within its ranks on some sections. which
were left to be settled at the hearing.
johnson made plain that he would
assure adequate representation for in
dependent small operators as we'll as
large companies. Special provision was
also made for labor. by mobilizing a
special staff of technicians to advise
on workers interests.
The National Industrial Control
Committee for General Contractors
said in statement making their code
public, that it would govern the ex-
penditure of s3,3G0.000 600 public works
funds AS well as all private construc-
ton during the next two years and
would employ additional thousands"
1t said that lin addition to accident
prevention and labor welfare. the pro-
posed code deals drastically with prac-
tically all of the known competitive
abuses within the general contracting
business"
Wage Question Hangs Fire.
The code set $50 hours a month as
the maximum for contractors labor, as
compared with the present average of
206 except for those in administrative
positions. 1t left the fixing of minimum
wages to agreements to be reached re-
gionally Or locally by truly representa-
subject to approval of the President.
Pending such agreements. the minimum
wages established by State highway de-
partments in conformity with the in
dustrial recovery act, would prevail.
1t was explained these rates-3523
cents an hour for unskilled labor in 36
States and from 29is to 4lii in the
other 12-have been used as the mini
mum on all Federal aid highway work
the past year ana after an anticipated
upward revision" would control eXpen-
diture of an estimated 5000 000.0 900 in
road work during this fiscal year
A c. Tozzer of New York. president
Of the Associated General Contractors
of America, explained:
"As these locaD agreements are
reached. one by one, they would super
sede the minimum rates set by the
States and eventually establish a Ma
ton wide system of minimum rates
fairly arrived at through collective bar
gaining"
The coat and suit code set 40-hour
work week and graduated wages from
SO cents to 81 an hour except small
section of workers receiving As cents
Overtime work would be prohibited, az
would be child labor and provision was
made for the maintenance of an unem
ploymcnt insurance fund.