Evening star., 1933-07-01
New Wage Agreement Is
Every Pleasing, but Not
Enough" He Says.
DECLARES 40-HOUR WEEK
SHOULD BE CUT TO 30
Manufacturers Meanwhile Begin
Task Of Adjusting Plants to
Revised Schedule.
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
William Green, president of the
American Federation Of Labor. said to-
day the action of cotton mill owners
in voluntarily agreeing to raise the
minimum wage in the industry to s12
a week was very pleasing, but not
enough"
Green said also that he still be-
lieved the 40-hour week proposed for
the industry was much too long.
The manufacturers yesterday pro-
posed an increase of 50 in the basic
rates which they originally had set at
$40 in the South and sl1 in the North,
but adhered to the 4o-hour schedule.
Dr. Alexander Sachs, chief economist
for the National recovery administra-
ton. corroborated their contention that
reduction to 40 hours was sufficient
to absorb the industry's idle workers.
This is substantial increase" said
Green in an interview, but I believe
it should be higher
The hours of labor. now set at 40,
are too long, and I think the manu-
facturers ought to agree to change
that. However. the response of the
manufacturers is very heartening and
I hope they will go further in the final
settlement"
Urges 30-Hour Week.
Green said he still believed the proper
regulation for the industry would pro-
vide minimum wage of between s14
and SIG and 30hour working week.
with no restriction on the number of
shifts mill might operate.
Meanwhile. cotton textile makers be-
gan the tremendous task of adjusting
their organizations to the code of COM
petition, effective perhaps on July II.
by which 100 900 idle are to be put
back at work
Their efforts were spurred by official
commentator of the voluntary agree
ment.
This was the first such agreement
reached by one of the big ten industries
under the national recovery act. If
President Roosevelt approves by Mon
day, it becomes effective July II. II
not, it applies the second Monday after
he does
Hugh S. Johnson, industrial, admin
istrator, already is considering some
comparatively minor points yet to be
worked out. But indications were that
the code would receive his early in
dorsement
His enthusiasm for the plan he
summed up in these words to the manu-
facturers:
i want to say that my reaction on
this situation is that you have done a
very, very remarkable thing. You have
shown a remarkable spirit of co-opera-
tlon, patriotic spirit. which seems to
me to be above reproach."
"Stretch-out" Plan Opposed.
One issue raised by labor-the stretch
out system, by which employees run more
machines-remains to be settled. A
committee appointed by johnson is in
vestigating the advisability of inserting
a restricting provision in the CODE
The manufacturers, in amendments
submitted at the close of public hear
ings on their code, made new and un-
expected proposals. These included:
Creation of a committee of the in
dustry to cooperate with the admin
istrator on planning and fair practices
Establishment of a service bureau for
engineering. accounting, credit and the
like, to aid smaller mills in meeting
conditions of the code
Recommendations that the admins
traitor require registration by cotton
manufacturers of their existing produc-
tive machinery and regulate installa-
ton Of additional machinery except for
replacement through issuance of GER
tificates authorizing such installation.
Likewise, they said that within 80
days they would submit a plan ex-
tending the hours of work provisions to
office employees
With this code beyond the hearing
stage, johnson expected to start soon
on others for big industries. He said
four were about ready, but declined to
name them. Unofficially, it was ex-
planned the next hearing-at least 10
days off-would be on coal, oil, steel or
lumber,