The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-07-29
WHITE COLLAR
AIDS OMITTED
IN SHIP CODE
Planned Revision to Cut
Hours, Raise Pay of
Office Workers.

BIZ Scripps-Hoirard Neirspopcr Alliance
WASHINGTON. July 2e-The
shipbuilding code signed this week
by President Roosevelt may be
modified shortly to shorten work
hours and raise wages Of white-col-
lar workers.
Officials Of the recovery admins
tration expressed surprise today
when omission OF these workers
from the final code was called TO
their attention.
The first code submitted BY the
shipbuilders provided reduced
work week and minimum pay rates
for all employees. The day before
hearing on this code a new one was
substituted which covered only en-
ployes on an hour rate. Final action
on the code was hurried through
because bids we're 70 be opened for
construction Of naval vessels. and
apparently. in the hurry. the
changed wording was overlooked.
Office Workers Included
The President attached a pro-
vision 10 the cotton textile code, the
first signed. declaring that white
collar workers should come under
its terms. General Hugh S. john
son repeatedly has declared that
such workers must be included in
all attempts 10 increase purchasing
power. and the Presidents emer-
gency complement plan spe-
officially provides for them.
Members OF the labor advisory
board were as surprised as other
recovery administration officials
when the omission in the ship
builders code was called To their
attention. They have not yet made
public their report on this code to
Johnson
The snipbuilders' code was more
lenient than that for the cotton
textile industry in several respects
in spite of the shorter work week
and higher minimum wages for
which It provides.
Six Month Basis
Yards building vessels for the
merchant marine are permitted TO
calculate their 36-hour work week
on a siX-month basis. Employees
engaged in designing. engineering
and IN mold loft and order depart
ments and other employees necessary
for preparation OF plans the only
ones to whom immediate employ
ment will be given under the new
ship contracts are permitted to
work forty-eight hours a week for
the next six months Apprentices
may be paid less than the minimum
wage for a two-year period-the life
of the recovery act.
In addition strong representations
will be made to Johnson today by
his labor advisers as to the need Of
setting up immediate machinery to
investigate alleged code violations.
Meanwhile officials of the re-
coverv administration are exhibiting
keen interest in progress being
made by the American Federation
of labor in organizing industrial
unions in mass production in
duStrleS.
Want Industrial Unions
They nave found number Of
prominent industriahsts who have
maintained open shops and opposed
craft unioniSm receptive 10 the idea
OF industrial urionS that would
make il possible for them TO nego-
tiate with one set of labor officials
instead of half a dozen.
In a few industries only the OPP
position of existing craft Unions is
preventing such action al the pres
ent time. In others the American
Federation Of Labor Is making a
beginning by chartering federal
plant unions
William Green. president of the
federation. after first saying that
such unions would be united only
by councils and that they would
receive advice only from neadqvar-
tiers. admitted that he was planning
organizations OF federal unions into
industrial unions at some future
time. and that federation officials
would retain the right to bargain
for tho fpdpralS # asked ~ do en-