The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-08-19

agreement was TOT a JV-uay trial of a code regulating hours and wages of 100000 workers with the NRA having a voice in administra- tfon 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 into direct conflict with the nations great financial powers, including the House of Morgan.
 Events leading up to the agree ment were 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 Corpo- ration, former Governor Nathan L. Miller of New York, his counsel; i; Eugene Grace, chairman of the board of Bethlehem Steel Corpora tion, and chairmen and presidents of other companies.
 Johnson faced them early yes- terday afternoon. Excited talk emanated from the conference room. All afternoon and far into the evening the session continued. There was brief recess for din- ner and then the meeting was re. sumed.
 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.
 I've got den of lions in there"
 Midnight passed and the confer ence continued.
 Finally at a. m. the steel mag mates came out. They were glum.
 They looked straight ahead as they pressed their way through re- porters, refusing to talk.
 Johnson had kept them, in. con- ference almost 12 hours.
 Half an hour later Johnson emerged. He was tired. His eyes were bloodshot and bis tie was askew. But he smiled broadly.
 He waved a typewriter paper. vigorously. It was the announce. ment of the agreement and its ap- proval by the president.
 The agreement provided for an average 40 hour. week over the three month trial period with no em mploye to work more than AZ hours or six days a week. If the steel production reaches 60 per cent of capacity after November l, on eight-hour day is provided for all employees except those in su- pervisory, technical or emergency capacities.
 The minimum wage fixed. in the code are estimated by steel com panies to exceed an average of 40 cents an hour" Johnson said. The companies have made a 15 per cent wage increase since July l and currently pay large groups of common labor higher wages than those fixed in the code, John son said. Exact wage schedules were unavailable.
 Provision was made for three MIRA representatives to obtain full | information on steel operations and meet with directors of the iron and steel institute during the trial period.
 This was a safeguard, 1t was in- dicated. to assure a fair trial. The MIRA representatives also will ad. wise the president at the end of the trial what if any changes should be made in the code to protect the public, the employers and em- ployes.
 Johnson's announcement of the agreement said not a word about the company union issue which previously blocked agreement. This issue was squarely presented when Robert, Lamont, president of the Iron and Steel Institute, declared the industry would seek to main tain it's company unions regardless of the recovery act provision that labor may form it's own unions. A further indication of the steel magnates' determination to pre- serve their company unions was seen by William Green, president of the American Federation of La bor and MIRA advisor; in the lead ers' refusal to participate with him in a conference summoned by Secretary of Labor Perkins. ] Labor representatives, however,