The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-07-11
PRAISES A.F. OF |.
HEADS FOR AID IN
PUTTING IT OVER
Only Opposition Came
from Natl Textile
Workers Union

approved the cotton textile
slavery code providing for a
minimum" wage Of $12 for
Southern and SIS Tor North
ern workers in the industry,
and a maximum" of 40 hours
a week so that the arrange
ment can go into effect
July II.
Around 100000 cotton mill work.
ers are affected by the slave code
many OF them, through the lower
hours and the minimum wage rate
will receive an immediate cut in
wages. In some mills, after the code
has been in effect a short while, ac-
cording to the admission Of some Of
the bosses at the Washington hear
ings, many workers will be laid off.
The leading textile bosses expressed
their great satisfaction with the code
which opens the way for pressing
down wages, crushing struggles for
higher wages and better conditions
Now that the code is approved by
the President, the bosses will use ii
TO attempt to prevent strikes. The
low wages having been fixed and the
government sanction being given TO
them, the bosses will get the direct
support Of the government, the courts
and police to keep workers in the
mills under the starvation condition.
Commenting on Roosevelt's APP
prevail, General johnson. administra-
tor Of the industrial recovery" act
especially thanked the leading strike
breakers in the American Fedora
ton Of Labor He said that this code
could not be put over we're it not
for the close personal support and
advice OF the great labor leaders,
William Green, John Frey, John L.
Lewis, Joseph Franklin, Sidney Hill
man, Edward McGrady Father Haas
and Rose Schneiderman.
While the hearings were going on.
w. E!'G. Batty president Of the New
Bedford Council of the A. r. OF l..
on June 80, rushed back to New Bed
ford TO break the strike OF the work
ers in the Potomska Butler, Hatha-
way iilu NtOllSplu HillLS. L llCTt Is ~
strong resentment over the present
wage situation" Batty said at that
time
Thomas Mcmahon, Of the United
Textile Workers Union, 1t was dis
closed at the hearings. held secret
meetings with the administrators and
the bosses to fix the sl2 and Sl3 scale.
The code will continue for four
months at the end of which time the
bosses can come in and ask for re-
vision. About n per cent of the
textile industry will be covered by the
code. Special exceptions, providing
for longer hours and wages even low
er than the S12-slS level were ali
lowed for the tire fabric and mediA
cal supply mills.
In heartily approving of the code,
Roosevelt said it should serve as an
inspiration TO all other industries, and
should speed up the presentation and
passage OF other codes.
General johnson said it was AN
education of what team work in gov
eminent can do"
Roosevelt made much ado about
the proposal to eliminate child labor.
forgetting to mention that Sloan OF
the Cotton Textile Association said
that this had been practically elm
mated" because during the crisis
adult workers had been hired AT
wages formerly paid to children
Those children who will be dismissed
will be sent out to starve. no provi-
sion he,ur mazda fnr fanairn tk,n,.,
In order to stress the harmony OF
the labor leaders and the exploiters
In the textile mills. Roosevelt said
There was not one word OF accu-
sation. and, most unthinkable OF all,
1t arrived at a solution which has
the unanimous approval of all those
comforting leaders on all three sides
of the issue"
This entirely overlooks the fact
that on June 80. June Croll OF the
National Textile Workers Union at
the hearings exposed the slave ma
ture of the bill. the starvation wages
and the speed-up that would go on
under IL, protesting at the collabor-
alton OF the bosses and the A. +. Of
L. leaders and presenting a set of de-
mands completely opposed 10 the codt
and in the interest Of the workers
Among the demands presented b,
Croll, drawn up by the National Tex
tile Workers Union were the follow
ing:
That the industry and the govern
ment assume the responsibility for
fixed minimum weekly and year
wage for every worker in the indu
try. Every worker be given 40 weel
of employment, no less than 80 holp
per week, and q maximum OF 40 hom
per week. and wages at a minimum
Of 60 cents an hour.
wages should be adjusted 10 NEE
rising prices.
THAT the code shall provide 10
democratioally elected shop commit
tees. controlled by the workers ir
all mills, recognized by the employ.
ers The right of the workers 10 be-
long 10 any union Of their own choice,
the right Of the workers to strike,
no night work for women In any
part Of the country"
At the very time of the hearingt
whole series of strikes we're goint
on In the textile mills against the
starvation wages giving the he 70
RoOSeyeit's declaration that thara