The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-08-19
ROOSEVELT IS
SET TO SIGN
STEEL CODE
MIRA Agreement Reached
With Industry Chiefs
at Long Session.
READY FOR PRESIDENT
40-HOur Week Over Three
Months Trial Period
Is Provided.
BY ". q. THOMPSON
United Press stan Correspondent


WASHINGTON. Aug. 10. A
deadlock keeping the great oil, coal
and steel industries out of the ma
tional recovery ranks was broken
by administration pressure today
when agreement was reached on a
steel code.
Officials were confident smashing
of the steel blockade foreshadowed
early action to put the other in
dustries uIsier recovery codes.
General Hugh S. Johnson, hard
hitting NRA administrator drove
the bargain on steel at protracted
conferences with magnates that
lasted much of the night.
Code to Roosevelt Today
johnson hoped to place the
formal code before President RooSe-
welt before he leaves for his home
at Hyde PARK, ~ Y. tonight.
Quick action by the President was
forecast by Johnson's announcement
that the President already had ap-
proved the agreement made with
the steel men.
The agreement was for ninety
day trial of a code regulating hours
and wages of 100000 workers. with
the MIRA having voice in admins
tration of the trial code.
Success in forcing the steel in
dustry into an agreement was re-
garded as a signal victory for the
Roosevelt administration
In steel more than in any other
industry the Presidents recovery
policies came in direct conflict with
the nations great financial powers
including the House of Morgan.
Events Fast Moving
Events leading UP TO the agree
ment we're faSt-moving. johnson
turned from oil conferences TO a
brief meeting" with steel leaders,
including such personages as w. A.
Irwin. president OF the Morgan
backed United States Steel Corpora
ton. Former Governor Nathan J
Miller of New York. his counsel;
Eugene Grace. chairman of the
board Of Bethlehem Steel Corpora
ton. and chairmcn and presidents
of other companies.
johnson faced them early Friday
afternoon.
Excited talk emanated from the
conference room. All afternoon and
far into the evening the session
continued. There was a brief recess
for dinner and then the meeting
was resumed.
Oil leaders came to see Johnson
but he sent them away
For Gods sake don't bother me
now" he said. and pointed to a
double suite of rooms.
In Conference IL Hours
I've got a den of lions in there. :
Midnight passed and the confer
ence continued.
Finally at | a. m. the steel mag
mates came out They we're glum.
They looked straight ahead as
they pressed their way through re-
pcrters. refusing to talk.
johnson had kept them in con-
ference almost twelve hours.
Half an hour later Johnson
emerged He was tired. His eyes
were bloodshot and his tie was
askew. But he smiled broadly.
He waved a typewriter paper
vigorously II was the announce
ment OF the agreement and its ap-
proval by the President.
Fix Minimum Hours
The agreement provided for ar
average forty-hour week over the
three-month trial period with nc
employe 10 work more than forty
eight hours or six DAYS a week.
If the steel production reaches &C
per cent OF capacity after Nov l, al
eight hour day IS provided for al
employees except those in super.
viSory. TECHNICAL or emergency
capacities.
The minimum wages fixed il
the code are estimated by steel COM
panies to exceed an average of Il
cents an hour" johnson said.
The companies have made i;
per cent wage increase since July
and currently pay large groups o.
common labor higher wages thar
those fxed in the code. johnson
said. Exact wage schedules were
unavailable.