Evening star., 1933-08-09
Must Not Attempt to Frus-
trate Spirit of Code, He
Declares.
BANS STAGGERED HOURS
OR FORCED REST PERIODS
Halts Shortening of Hours of Op-
Grafton to Avoid Increas.
ing Pay Rolls.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
Citing that the intent of the recovery
act was to increase employment, Ad-
ministrator Hugh S. johnson said to-
day that no retailer could stagger en-
ploye hours, enforce rest periods or
shorten the hours of store operation
without defeating the purpose of the
codes.
His emphatic assertion immediately
took place among the most significant
yet to come from the N R. A., in view
OF constant reports as to recourses for
getting around the codes and yet dis
playing the Blue Eagle.
Inquiries on this point have increased
Of late, while the officials have plugged
ahead at other aspects of making the
law effective.
Labor and Capital Struggle.
The militant johnson took times off
from the opening hearing on 27 codes
proposed for the coal industry to stress
his point as to retailers. At that
Department auditorium, the struggle
between union and non-union forces
was flushing to full height.
Putting that quarrel off for future
determination, johnson insisted that,
while the agreements signed by retail!
stores and groceries provided that no
store open less than 50 hours a week
before July l could reduce the store
hours at all, the intent was that hours
of operation should not be curtailed in
any way.
minimum, 1t was explained that if q
store had been operating go or more, it
should not curtail its time of being
open, but rather should employ more
people to do the work.
Says Purpose Is Explicit.
~That agreement is solemn cove
nant and its purpose IS explicit" john
son said. THE owners of the stores and
the customers who buy from those
stores should have but one single pur-
pose, which is to carry out this speci-
flc provision, which has to do with re.
employment through reducing the num-
ber Of hours each employe works and
by keeping the stores open as long as
possible
The statement proceeded:
THE insignia of the Blue Eagle must
be withdrawn from those stores which
either collectively or individually fla.
grantly attempt to Illustrate the pur4
pose of the presidential unemployment
agreement"
johnson said that when employers
sign this agreement with their Presi-
dent after reading section 8, no one
could conceivably set about staggering
employe hours, enforcing rest periods,
and increasing the time for lunch with
out pay, or either directly or indirectly
conspire to defeat the very purpose Of
the agreement by materially shortening
the number of hours which the stores
had customa-ily stayed open"
Quotes N. r. A. Agreement.
In warning the retailers against
shortening store hours, the adminis-
traitor quoted the agreement which was
provided for them temporarily, pend
ing hearing on a permanent ccde Of
fair competition. Section 8 reads:
mot to use any subterfuge to frus-
trate the spirit and intent of this
agreement which is. among other
things, to increase employment by a
universal covenant, to remove obstruc-
tlonS to commerce, and to shorten hours
(employe work hours, not store hours)
and to raise wages for the shorter
(employe work. week to living basis"
Ofhclally, the administration is with
holding fire against violators until some
date a couple of weeks hence. But it
Continued on Page 2, Column A.